The Elegant Orchid
by Mei-chan4
Summary: At a young age, Lan lost her mother and father. Now, she travels the world with her cousin Zuko and grandfather Iroh as they search for the elusive Avatar. Will she be able to help Zuko complete his mission or will she merely cause chaos and mayhem?
1. Lan

**Hello everyone! For those of you who follow my other stories, I swear this is the last new one! This will be my tenth ongoing story in my Baby Universe as it has been so aptly named. **

**For anyone that has not read my other works, welcome! I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I did writing it! I tried to follow the timeline as accurately as possible but since no one knows Lu Ten's age, I had to just make a rough guess.**

**Note: This is set just after Iroh went off to lay siege to Ba Sing Se.**

* * *

Ursa smiled encouragingly at the pained woman in front of her. "You are doing wonderfully, Meilin. The baby is almost out."

Meilin looked wearily up at Ursa. Her black hair was plastered to her forehead and her normally light amber eyes were darkened with pain. "Promise me you'll take care of my baby until Lu Ten comes back."

Ursa held Meilin's hand tightly in hers. "I will. I promise. What do you want to name your baby?"

Meilin screamed as the midwife ordered her to push again. "If it's a boy, name him Li. If it's a girl, name her Lan."

As the midwife wrapped the crying baby in a towel, Ursa felt Meilin's hand go limp. She looked sadly at Meilin's pale face. She took the baby from the midwife and cooed to the wailing child. "Shhh…don't cry little Lan."

* * *

A young Zuko stood on his tiptoes to better see the small child in his mother's arms. "What happened to Cousin Meilin?"

Ursa shook her head. "I'm afraid she didn't make it, Zuko. I'm going to take care of Lan until her father gets back." She smiled weakly at her son. "Will you hold your baby cousin while I go speak with your grandfather?"

Zuko carefully took the small bundle into his arms. He tilted his head to the side as his amber eyes connected with Lan's. He grinned at her. "Hi Cousin Lan. I'm your cousin, Zuko. My mom is gonna take care of you so you'll be more like my little sister than my cousin. Well, at least until your dad gets back. Then he'll take care of you and you'll be my cousin again."

"You know she can't understand a word you're saying." Azula sauntered over. She frowned down at Lan. "She's nothing special. I was a cuter baby than her."

Lan began crying as soon as Azula's face came into her view.

Zuko held Lan tighter to him. "Stop it! You're scaring her."

"My goodness what is going on out here?" Ursa came back into the room. She gently took Lan from Zuko and cooed to her. "Your grandfather wants to meet you." She smiled at her two children and motioned for them to follow her. She led the children into the Fire Lord's throne room where Ozai was already kneeling before Azulon.

Azulon smiled when Ursa entered. "Let me see my great-granddaughter." He held his arms out and took Lan from Ursa. "Hello there, Little One. My, you have your father's eyes. You'll be an excellent fire bender, just like him."

Lan tilted her head to the side. What strange people these were. She liked this one though. He seemed nice enough. Sad, but nice. The little boy that had been talking to her earlier was her favorite so far. He had a really pretty smile. He would be her favorite person, she decided. The lady that had been holding her had been really nice too. Was that her mother? No. Her voice was different. Then, where was her mother? She wanted to see her. She began to cry.

Ursa took Lan back for Azulon. "I'll go feed her. She must be hungry by now."

Zuko stood up, bowed deeply to his grandfather, and scampered after his mother. "Can I help, Mother?"

Lan stopped crying when she heard Zuko's voice. She couldn't remember what his name was. She was certain the nice lady had said it before.

Ursa smiled at Zuko. "Of course, Zuko."

Zuko. Lan smiled. That was her favorite person's name. Zuko. As soon as she could speak, that would be her first word.

As Ursa sat down, Zuko was beside her in an instant. He watched carefully as his mother fed the tiny baby a bottle of milk. "I wanna try!"

Ursa hesitated before moving out of the chair and motioning Zuko to sit down. "Be very careful with her, Zuko."

"I will!" Zuko grinned excitedly as he held Lan in his arms and fed her the bottle. "I can't wait for you to meet your daddy and your grandpa. Your grandpa is my uncle. His name is Iroh. You'll like him. He's funny."

Lan happily slurped down the milk being offered to her. The way Zuko was talking, she couldn't wait to meet her father and grandfather. If they were as amazing as Zuko made them out to be, she was sure she would love them just as much as she did Zuko.

* * *

"Mom! Look at Lan!" Zuko crouched on his knees in the garden, his arms extended. "Come on, Lan. Show Mom."

A now one year old Lan sat a few feet away from Zuko. She tilted her head to the side before placing her hands in front of herself and slowly pulling herself to her feet. On shaky legs, she slowly made her way over to the awaiting prince. She beamed proudly up at Zuko when she finally reached him. "'Uko!"

Ursa smiled as she knelt beside the two. "That's wonderful, Lan." She smoothed the baby's wild hair down. "I think it's time for a bath young lady."

"Mama!" Lan said happily as she allowed Ursa to take her from Zuko.

Ursa sighed sadly. "Zuko, it's time for you and Azula's lessons. Get inside." She ushered her two children back into the palace before making her way towards Lan's bedroom. She didn't get very far before a messenger ran up to her. "What is it?" She asked as the messenger held a letter out to her. She adjusted Lan into one arm so she could read the note. Her eyes widened. "Oh no…"

Lan shifted in Ursa's arms. "Mama?"

"Thank you." She said softly to the messenger. She hurried away from Lan's room and made her way to the library where Zuko and Azula were having their lessons. She motioned the tutor out of the room. "Children…" she looked sadly at her son and daughter. "your cousin, Lu Ten, is dead."

While Azula remained indifferent, Zuko's face showed alarm. "What!? But…what about Lan? What's going to happen to her? Is Uncle Iroh okay?"

"Iroh will be returning shortly. Zuko, will you please watch Lan. I must go speak to the Fire Lord and your father." Ursa handed the confused child over to Zuko before leaving.

Zuko looked sadly down at Lan. "I'm sorry, Lan. You aren't going to get to meet your dad. He was really nice. You would've liked him."

Azula scoffed. "I can't believe Uncle is coming back. He should've stayed and finished his job."

"His son just died, Azula!" Zuko shouted angrily.

"So what?" She glared at Lan, whom was glaring at her. "Stop looking at me like that! It's not like you can understand me."

Lan pointed an accusing finger at Azula. "Meanie!"

Azula opened her mouth to retort before rolling her eyes. "I'm not going to lower myself to arguing with a baby." She stomped out of the library.

"'Uko?" Lan asked softly when she saw how sad he looked.

"Don't worry, Lan." Zuko grinned at her. "Even though your mom and dad are gone, I'll take care of you. I won't let anyone hurt you."

* * *

"Welcome back, Iroh." Ursa greeted with a sad smile.

Iroh inclined his head but said nothing. "May I see her?" He asked quietly.

Ursa led Iroh to Zuko's room where the two found Zuko trying to teach Lan how to play checkers. The child seemed more interested in eating the pieces than learning to play. The two looked up when they felt eyes on them.

Lan watched cautiously as Iroh approached her. Was this the man Zuko always talked about? What had he said his name was? This couldn't be the man though. Zuko always described him as being cheerful, with a smile on his face. The man kneeling beside her looked sad, as though he would cry at any moment. "'Roh?" She asked.

Zuko grinned at the astonished look on Iroh's face. "I told her about you, Uncle."

Iroh looked back at the small girl watching him with curious amber eyes. A smile broke onto his face as he scooped Lan up. "Yes," he said with joy in his voice. "I'm your Grandpa Iroh."

* * *

"She's coming with us?" Zuko asked incredulously. It was nighttime as he prepared to depart for his exile. How foolish he had been to challenge his father. He now had the scar to forever remind him of this.

Iroh grinned as he held his three year old granddaughter's hand in his. "Of course. I am her legal guardian. I can't possibly leave her. Besides, she wants to go with you."

Zuko glared down at Lan. "You need to stay here."

Lan shook her head, strands of black hair falling from her pigtails. "No! I'm going with Zuko and Grandpa!"

"No you aren't!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"YES!" She shouted, stomping her foot for emphasis.

Iroh chuckled. "I don't think you'll be winning this argument, Zuko."

Zuko huffed in annoyance before kneeling down to Lan's level. "Listen, I'm not coming home for a long time. I'm going to be on this boat. You won't get to see the Fire Nation for a long time if you come with me."

Lan's grin matched her grandfather's. "That's okay. I wanna go with Zuko." She rushed forward suddenly, wrapping her tiny arms around Zuko's neck and hugging him tightly. "I love Zuko!"

Zuko looked helplessly at his uncle, finding only amusement in his uncle's eyes. With a sigh of resignation, he stood up with Lan in his arms. He glared half-heartedly at the child. "I don't want to hear any complaining if you get seasick."

Lan's eyes lit up. "I won't! I love you!"

Zuko carried Lan onto the ship, Iroh close behind them. The crew was already waiting to depart. Zuko continued to hold Lan as they watched the Fire Nation grow smaller and smaller as they went farther out to sea.

Lan frowned when she saw the sadness and longing in Zuko's eyes. She wrapped her tiny arms back around his neck and kissed his cheek. She couldn't convey her feelings in words but she hoped Zuko understood them. The smile he gave her said he did.

_Don't be sad. No matter what, I'll take care of you._

* * *

**Hmmm…can't tell if that was an abrupt ending or not. Sorry if it just kind of hopped around a lot. I just wanted to use this chapter to give a very brief glimpse at Lan's past. As the story progresses, gaps will be filled in and all. Please review and let me know your thoughts!**


	2. The South Pole

**Haruna Uchiha: I believe Zuko was about 11 or 12 when Lan was born.**

**HaloteveCV: Lol, here's the next one! I hope that was quick enough for you!**

**Thanks so much to: Bonds of Hatred, Sakura02, 030artastic, and AngelaChaos for reviewing.**

**Yay! I'm glad you all liked the first chapter!! **

* * *

"Lan! Lan, where are you?" Zuko growled in annoyance. Really, there were only so many places the kid could hide. "Uncle, have you seen Lan?" He asked as he stormed into the cafeteria.

"Not since lunch." Iroh smiled lazily as he sipped his tea.

"I believe I saw her heading towards your room, Prince Zuko." One of the crewman said nervously.

Zuko stomped to his room. Sure enough, there was an oddly shaped lump moving around under his covers. "Lan, I know you're there. Get out now."

A girlish giggle emitted from the bed. "I don't wanna."

"Now Lan!" Zuko stormed over to the bed and yanked the covers off. "You need to practice your firebending."

Lan pouted as she uncurled herself and sat up on the bed. She was slightly taller now. Her hair was much longer, falling to her waist even as it was held in a tight braid. Her amber eyes, however, had not lost any of their curiosity. "You forgot didn't you?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I didn't forget today is your birthday." He flicked her forehead at the excited grin on his little cousin's face. "If you don't come up to the deck and practice your firebending, you won't get to have cake tonight."

"I want cake!" Lan cried out. "Do I get seven candles?"

"Only if you go practice." Zuko smirked in triumph as Lan scrambled out of his room and toward the deck. It had been two years now since he had been banished from his home. Two years now he had been desperately searching for the Avatar.

"Grandpa!" Lan squealed as she ran to Iroh. She flung herself at him and hugged him tightly. "Zuko said if I practice, I'll get cake tonight!"

Iroh laughed and picked his granddaughter up. "Oh, is that so? Happy Birthday, Lan."

Zuko came up on the deck when Iroh began teaching Lan different firebending moves. Watching her attempt a flying fire kick and then falling on her bottom reminded him much of himself when he was little like her. But, Lan always smiled even when she messed up and Iroh would always encourage her and praise her.

"Zuko, come play with me!" Lan ran over to Zuko and hugged him.

Before Zuko could respond, a blinding pillar of light appeared off in the distance. Zuko looked at his uncle for a moment before barking orders at the crew.

Lan wandered to the front of the boat and sat with her legs over the side. Her head rested on the metal bars as she stared at the horizon where the light had come from. She glanced up when Zuko stood beside her. "Is that the Avatar, Zuko?"

"It is. I know it is." Zuko said confidently. "We'll capture him and then we'll get to go home."

"Home…" Lan was silent for a moment. For her, her home was wherever Zuko or Iroh was. She didn't really have any emotional ties to the Fire Nation. The two people she loved the most were on this ship with her. But, if Zuko was much happier in the Fire Nation, then Lan would do anything to make that dream come true for him.

Iroh sighed in content as he sipped his tea. "Any sign of the Avatar, Prince Zuko?"

"No." Zuko huffed in annoyance. Suddenly, a flare went off in the distance. Zuko yanked a telescope from one of the crewman. He smirked in triumph.

"What'd you see, Zuko?" Lan looked up inquiringly.

"The Avatar." Zuko answered.

* * *

"I wanna go."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"But I love you."

"No, Lan!" Zuko shouted as his helmet was put on his head. "You just stay here and don't break anything."

Lan crossed her arms over her chest. "You never let me do anything."

"Now, Lan," Iroh smiled patiently as he picked his granddaughter up. "you need to let your cousin do what he needs to do. My goodness."

Lan tilted her head to the side. "What?"

Iroh chuckled. "You've gotten so big these past couple of years. I just can't believe you're seven already."

Lan rested her head on her grandfather's shoulder as he carried her to her room. "Do I look like my mommy or my daddy?"

Iroh placed her on her bed and ruffled her hair. "You look just like your mother but you've got your father's eyes. Now, you just stay here while Prince Zuko gets the Avatar."

It had only been ten minutes since Iroh had left Lan in her room and already she was bored. She sighed and cautiously opened her door, looking both ways to make sure no one was coming. As she stepped out, a young boy collided into her. She squeaked and fell on her bottom. She looked up into the grey eyes of a boy with a bald head and a blue arrow on his forehead. "Who're you?"

The boy looked at her. "Um…I'm Aang. Who're you?" He offered his hand to her and helped her up.

Lan dusted her dress off. "I'm Lan. Hey, you must be the Avatar!"

Aang blinked. "How'd you know?"

"'Cause my cousin said he was going to catch the Avatar and I've never seen you on this ship before!" Lan grinned.

Aang was about to say something when he heard shouting coming down the hallway. He grabbed Lan's hand and yanked her towards the deck. "We've got to get away from here!"

Lan blinked. "Why?"

"These people are bad." Aang looked desperately around the deck looking for an escape route.

"But…they're my family. I don't think they're bad." Lan attempted to pull her hand free of Aang's.

"Lan, why can't you just do as your told!?" Zuko shouted as he ran up onto the deck.

"Stay down." Aang gently pushed Lan out of the way as he began to fight Zuko.

Lan huddled close to the edge of the boat, watching as the two fought. She screamed as a giant white creature flew from the sky and landed on the deck. She stumbled slipped through the holes in the metal railing. "Zuko! Grandpa!" She cried as she held onto the edge.

"Katara, help her!" Aang shouted.

Katara froze another firebender by sheer luck before running over to the edge. She grabbed Lan's hands and pulled the small girl onto the deck. "Sokka get her on Appa!"

"Wait! What are you doing? Let me go!" Lan struggled as Katara handed her over to Sokka.

Sokka raised his eyebrows. "You realize this is a Fire Nation kid. That means it's evil. We don't want an evil kid with us."

"I'm not evil!" Lan attempted to gnaw Sokka's hands off. She yelped as he threw her into Appa's saddle. She looked over the edge in time to see Aang fall into water. "Aang!" She was in complete awe as he reappeared above the surface in a spiral of water. She ducked quickly as the water fell down on the entire deck of the ship. She wasn't sure it was safe to get up until she felt Aang and the others climb into the saddle.

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang shouted.

"Wait a minute! Where are you taking me?" Lan looked down and saw the deck getting smaller and smaller. She saw Iroh pulling Zuko back onto the deck. With a deep breath, she ran to the edge of the saddle and jumped out.

"Lan!" Zuko ran forward and managed to catch Lan. The two collapsed to the deck at the same time that Aang brought down part of an ice cliff onto the ship. Zuko glared at Lan as he sat up with her in his lap. "Can you just stay out of trouble for five minutes?"

Lan sniffled and hugged Zuko tightly. "I almost got kidnapped!" She wailed.

Zuko glared at the ice littering the ship. "Get this ship fixed now!"

"Um…Zuko…they're all frozen…" Lan giggled at the sight of the frozen crew members. She looked up at the sky where Appa was fading away. She waved her arms in the air. "Bye Aang! I hope we can play together again soon!"

"Lan, just go to your room!" Zuko shouted.

"Grandpa, Zuko's being mean to me!" Lan cried as she ran over to her grandfather.

"Now, now. Let's all have some green tea and some of Lan's delicious birthday cake." Iroh chuckled.

"Zuko doesn't get any 'cause he's being a meanie head." Lan stuck her tongue out at Zuko.

Zuko had to remind himself to count to ten. "I'm going to my room!"

Lan rolled her eyes. "Moody teenager." She muttered under her breath.

"I heard that!"

* * *

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please review and let me know your thoughts.**


	3. Kiyoshi Island

**I'm sorry this took forever to get out. Thank you all for being so patient with me and have a Happy New Year!**

**HaloteveCV: Yeah…I didn't mean for it to take so long to update. Or for this one to take so long either. Hopefully updates will start coming faster.**

**MikiNobies: I went back and fixed it. Thank you for pointing that out to me! She looks like her mother but has her father's eyes.**

**Thank you: Sakura02, Cayannamon, 030artastic, and I-IZ-CULLEN-CRAZY for reviewing.**

* * *

Lan peered into the room where Zuko was meditating. She looked up at Iroh. "He's gonna get mad." She said in a quiet sing-song voice.

Iroh chuckled nervously as he fiddled with the rolled up map in his hand. "Nonsense. I'm sure I've taught him well enough to stay calm in situations like these." He looked down at his granddaughter. "Would you like to come in with me?"

Lan rapidly shook her head, her eyes wide with fear. "I like living. I'll wait out here." Lan plopped down on the ground with her back against the wall. She listened to her grandfather go in and the very brief quiet exchange between the two before Zuko exploded. "I told you!" She shouted as she stuck her head in the room.

"Not now, Lan!" Zuko snapped. He stared harshly down at the map Iroh had handed him. "The Avatar is amazing at evasive maneuvers."

"Nah." Lan said as she peered at the map. "I bet he just likes to have fun." She grinned as she hung herself over Zuko's left shoulder. "Zuko, come play with me. I'm bored. We can even just practice Firebending."

Iroh smiled as he watched Zuko half-heartedly fight against Lan. Seeing the two like that reminded him of when they had lived in the Fire Nation and Zuko doted so much on Lan. Now, Lan would do anything to get her favorite cousin's attention, even if it meant spending the day simply training.

"Fine, just get off of me!" Zuko grouched as Lan had tackled him to the ground and continuously poked his cheeks. He sat up with Lan still sitting in his lap and glared at her. "You know, you're a pain."

Lan grinned. "I know. I learn from the best." She skipped out of the room and up onto the deck, knowing Zuko would follow her.

"What's that mean?" Zuko asked as he stepped out onto the deck.

"Nothing." Lan sang. She got into a defensive pose. "Ready?"

Iroh sat on the deck playing Mahjong, sipping his tea, and watching his granddaughter and nephew sparing. The two were definitely improving. Zuko had come a long way from the little boy that always tripped over his own feet and Lan was mastering Firebending quickly enough.

"Let's stop now." Lan panted as she collapsed onto the deck. "I'm hungry."

"Well, get up and we'll go eat." Zuko said. When he got no response, he nudged Lan with his foot. "Hey, get up."

"Carry me." Lan huffed out as she rolled onto her back and held her arms up to Zuko.

"No. Get up." Zuko nudged her in the side again.

"No." Lan continued to hold her arms out.

Zuko glared down at her. "Up."

"Carry." Lan returned the glare with equal fervor.

"Brat." Zuko grabbed her arms and dragged her across the deck.

Iroh laughed as he followed them. "Careful with her, Zuko."

Lan smiled as she sat down at the table, ready to eat the delicious fish sat before her. Just as she was about to tear into her food, the chef mentioned he had heard that the Avatar was on Kiyoshi Island.

"What!?" Zuko stood up and stormed out of the room. "He's not getting away this time."

Iroh eyed Zuko's dinner. "Are you going to eat that?"

Zuko bolted back into the room long enough to save his fish. "I'll eat it later. Let's go, Uncle."

Lan watched as Iroh left the room with Zuko. Just as she was about to take her first bite, Zuko came in and grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the room. "But…but…my fish!"

"You can eat later!" Zuko snapped.

Lan pouted as Kiyoshi Island came into view. "I'm hungry. My fish is probably all cold now…"

"Deal with it." Zuko glanced over at the crew. "Prepare the rhinos. Lan, you stay on the ship."

Lan watched as Zuko and the other Firebenders left the ship. Her pout grew. "I wanted to go see Aang…" She looked around, noticing for the first time that her grandfather had snuck off somewhere probably to eat. Making sure no one was looking, Lan hoisted herself over the edge of the ship and landed less than gracefully on the ground. She quickly brushed herself off and began running after the rhinos.

"Lan!"

"Hi again, Aang!" Lan grinned when she noticed Aang and Katara off to the side. "Zuko's looking for you, you know."

Aang smiled nervously. "I kind of figured that. What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you again. I had fun last time we played and I wanted to play again." Lan answered.

"I don't think now is the best time." Katara said. She glanced over her shoulder. "Aang…"

"We've got to go, Lan." Aang said.

"Let me help." Lan grabbed Aang's arm and looked pleadingly at him. "I don't like when people get hurt." She muttered.

Katara and Aang exchanged a glance before Katara took Lan's hand. "Come on, Lan. You can help me get the villagers to safety."

"Okay." Lan allowed Katara to hold her hand and lead her into the village. "Don't let Zuko see me, though. He'll get pretty mad at me if he sees me helping you guys."

"No problem." Katara and Lan quickly ushered the civilians into the safety of their own homes while Zuko and Aang were fighting. "Lan, how is it someone like you wound up with someone like Zuko."

"Zuko's not a bad person!" Lan snapped in defense of her cousin. "He really isn't. He's just…he wants his daddy to be proud of him…that's all. But, I don't want him to hurt Aang so…"

Katara patted Lan's head. "You're a good girl…for a Firebender." She gasped as flames shot by them and pulled Lan behind her.

Aang landed beside them, upset by the burning town. "This is my fault."

"If you leave, Zuko will follow you." Lan peered from behind Katara. "He's obsessed with catching you and all."

"Lan, come with us." Katara said as Aang went to call Appa. "You're a good girl and I bet you could help us."

Lan bit her lip before quickly shaking her head. "I can't. I've got to take care of Zuko. But, I'll help you guys whenever I can." She smiled at Katara. "I really like you guys."

"Whoa," Sokka froze when he saw whom Katara was talking to. "the evil child has returned."

"Well, I like you and Aang anyways." Lan stuck her tongue out at Sokka as he and Katara ran onto Appa. "Bye, Aang!" She waved to the Avatar and grinned as he waved back.

"Follow them!" Zuko snapped. "Lan, what are you doing off the ship?" He glared down at the little girl.

Lan giggled and climbed on behind Zuko. "Nothing…" She said innocently.

Zuko rolled his eyes and quickly followed after his soldiers. They all froze on the shore as the giant Unagi reared up out of the water and sprayed Kiyoshi with water, putting out all the fires and soaking the Firebenders.

Lan squealed as she was completely drenched. "Again!"

If there had been a wall nearby, Zuko would've smacked his head against it repeatedly.

* * *

**Once again, thank you all for being so patient! Please review and let me know your thoughts!**


	4. Find Iroh!

****

Sorry for the, once again, very late update. I find that if I don't write the chapters the weekend before I'm supposed to update them, it's very unlikely that I'll write them. Another reason I may not update as quickly is a lack of reviews. The more I get, the more happier and likely I am to update.

**Sakura02: But then he wouldn't be Zuko.**

**Thanks: Cayannamon, 030artastic, Usagi323, and vivvy09 for reviewing.**

* * *

Lan pouted as she sat on the deck waiting for Zuko to return from inspecting the now destroyed Earth Kingdom jail. It seemed the prisoners rioted and escaped, leaving the jail in shambles. She sighed as she laid on her back and stared at the pink and orange sky. She blinked when something was dropped onto her face. She pulled the object away only to find it was a necklace that seemed strangely familiar to her. "Zuko?" She asked as her cousin stormed off.

"I found that on deck." He answered her unasked question. "You like pretty things, right?"

He was gone before Lan could answer. She sat with the necklace in her hands on her knees. "Katara…"

* * *

A couple of weeks later and their ship had stopped on a small island. Lan skipped happily off the boat, grateful to feel the earth beneath her feet. She was about to run off when a firm hand on her shoulder made her pause. She tilted her head up so her amber eyes stared at Zuko's.

"Don't wander too far off." Zuko said sternly.

Lan grinned at her cousin. "I won't." Lan skipped away into the foliage of the trees. She spent the afternoon climbing through trees and playing with some of the forest animals. She paused when she heard familiar humming. Coming through the trees, she grinned when she saw who it was. "Hi Grandpa."

Iroh returned his granddaughter's grin. He motioned her over to the makeshift hot spring he had made. "Come take a bath with me, Lan. The water is nice and warm."

Without any hesitation, Lan stripped her Fire Nation clothing off and canon balled into the water. She giggled as her head popped out of the water when she saw Iroh completely soaked.

"Laugh at me, will you?" Iroh chuckled. He reached out and tickled Lan mercilessly.

Lan squealed, attempting to wriggle from her grandfather's grasp. "I'm sorry! I won't do it again! Stop!" She choked out breathlessly.

"What's going on!?" Zuko broke the trees. The look of slight concern turned to one of annoyance when he realized what was going on. "We need to leave. We've picked up the Avatar's trail again and I don't want to lose him."

Iroh simply sank deeper into the water. "Zuko, come take a bath with Lan and I. Your troubles will just wash away."

"Yeah." Lan rested her arms on the lip of the hot springs. She frowned in concern. She could see the dark circles under Zuko's eyes. He hadn't been sleeping well since they had first encountered Aang.

"My troubles can't just be washed away." Zuko snapped. "It's time to go. We need to leave now!"

Iroh sighed. "All right."

Zuko winced and quickly held a hand to his face as Iroh rose from the water. "Ugh, just be back at the ship in half an hour or I'm leaving you. You," He pointed at Lan as she attempted to go deeper into the water. "out now. Stop with the eyes. You know they don't work."

Lan puffed her cheeks up. "See you on the ship, Grandpa." Lan leapt out of the water and ran through the forest back towards the ship.

"Put your clothes on, Lan!" Zuko shouted as he chased after the naked child.

The crew members glanced up briefly as a naked blur flew by them followed by a furious prince. They paused for a moment to listen to the shouting and the eventual shriek that meant Zuko had caught Lan. With a shrug, they resumed their work.

A few hours later, Lan was still sulking in her room. She hated when Zuko ruined her fun which was quite often. She stood up from her floor and went to the door. Quietly, she made her way up on to the deck, surprised to find it was already night.

"Go back to your room, Lan." Zuko glanced at her as he prepared to get off the dock.

Lan frowned. "Where's Grandpa?"

"He hasn't come back. I'm going to get him. No." Zuko said all this without even glancing at Lan.

"I didn't even say anything!" Lan whined, her hands on her hips.

"You aren't coming with me." Zuko said firmly.

"Why not?" Lan huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. "I can help."

"No." Zuko departed from the boat.

"Why?" Lan asked, following Zuko off the ship and into the woods.

Zuko glared down at her when he realized he was being followed. He stared accusingly at the soldier with him as though he were to blame for Lan tagging along. "Just stay close. I don't need you running off."

Lan grinned and skipped ahead towards the hot spring, pleased with her small victory. "Grandpa, guess what!" She paused when she realized Iroh was no longer there. Looking around, she frowned at the stillness of the forest.

"Something's wrong." Zuko came up behind her, inspecting jagged rocks that hadn't been surrounding the bath when he left his uncle.

"Perhaps it was a landslide." Offered the soldier nervously.

Lan kicked the rocks. "These rocks look weird."

Zuko nodded his agreement. "He's been captured by Earthbenders."

* * *

"Zuko, I'm tired. I'm hungry. Why's it so hot here? Are you even going the right way? When are we going to find Grandpa?" Lan whined from her spot behind Zuko on the rhinoceros.

"I told you to go back to the ship but no, you just had to tag along." Zuko rubbed his temple and counted to ten. He paused when he saw something in the middle of the road. Dismounting from the rhino, he picked the object up.

"What is it?" Lan asked, still perched on the rhino.

Zuko sniffed the sandal and made a face. "It's Iroh's sandal." He remounted the rhino. "We'll find him soon."

Lan was quiet for a moment as the rhino began trotting down the path. "He's okay, right? Grandpa won't let them hurt him."

Zuko glanced at her over his shoulder. He reached behind him and awkwardly squeezed her hand. "He'll be fine. He is the Dragon of the West after all." He glanced up at the sound of something overhead.

Lan looked up as well. Her eyes widened when she saw Appa flying across the sky. "Aang…" She turned her attention back to Zuko. "Zuko…" She yelped as he suddenly whipped the rhino in the direction of Appa. "Wait, Zuko…"

Zuko stilled the rhino, looking up at where Appa was heading then back to the path that Iroh's captors' had taken. He looked down and found Lan staring pleadingly at him. He rolled his eyes as he brought the rhino back around to the path that led to Iroh. "I wasn't going to abandon him." He muttered.

"I know." Lan smiled as she hugged Zuko around his waist. She rested her head against his back. "Thank you."

The two rode until the sun was once again setting. Lan began shaking Zuko furiously when she saw Iroh, his hands chained and pulled across a boulder in a steep ditch beside the mountain trail. "Zuko!"

"Stay!" He growled firmly.

Lan watched from the top of the ditch as Zuko kicked the boulder that was about to crush her grandfather's hands away and then break the chains that bound him. She was so engrossed by the fight that commenced between her grandfather and cousin against the Earthbenders that she barely noticed the Earth Nation soldier sneaking up on her. She leapt out of the way as he brought a boulder down on the place she had just been sitting in.

"Meanie!" Lan shouted. She charged at the soldier before leaping into the air and kicking the soldier in the face. She grinned as he rolled down into the ditch and followed after him.

"I told you to stay." Zuko snapped as he stood back to back with his uncle.

"He attacked me first!" Lan whined, pointing an accusing finger at the soldier.

"Now, children, now is not the time to fight." Iroh consoled.

"Surrender!" The leader of the soldiers barked. "It's five to two."

"Three!" Lan snapped, stomping her foot for emphasis.

The leader stared at her for a moment. "It's five to two and a half. You're outnumbered!"

Iroh chuckled as he ruffled his furious granddaughter's hair. "That may be true. But you are outmatched."

The five soldiers attacked, sending boulders at the three Firebenders. Iroh destroyed three of the five boulders with the chains still dangling from his wrist while Lan and Zuko destroyed the other two with their fire.

Lan turned her attention to the soldier that attacked her on the trail. She ran at him, twisting and rolling to avoid the boulders being shot at her. She enveloped her hand in flames and punched the soldier in the stomach. She flipped backwards, catching the solider square in the nose with her foot. She grinned triumphantly as he collapsed to the ground. She turned back in time to see it was only the leader left. "Zuko, watch out!"

The leader leered at the Fire Nation prince as he summoned two large sheets of rock. He was startled when his feet were suddenly yanked out from underneath him by Iroh's chains and the rock fell on top of him, ending the fight.

Iroh sniffed and patted Lan's head as she trotted over to him and Zuko. "My little baby just took out her first Earthbender. I'm so proud of you."

Zuko rolled his eyes but clapped Lan on the back. "That wasn't too bad. Now," He turned his attention back to Iroh. "Would you please put some clothes on!?"

For the first time, Lan noticed that Iroh was only clothed in a loin cloth. She puffed her cheeks out. "Why doesn't he have to wear clothes but I do!?"

"I just told him to put clothes…put your shirt down right now!"

Iroh chuckled as Zuko began chasing Lan around the pit. "It is good to see the two of you acting so youthful."

Lan giggled. She was glad that Zuko had forgotten about seeing Appa, at least for the moment.

* * *

**Yay update! Review please and let me know your thoughts!**


	5. The Fire Temple

**I'm so sorry I've been gone for a couple of weeks. My grandfather passed away on February 28 at 2:12 in the morning. My entire family was in the hospital all that day before and until he died. I've needed these couple of weeks to recoup and get my life back in order. **

**Sakura02: Zuko hates everything Lan does.**

**Thank you: TwilightEclps, Bonds of Hatred, Cayannamon, Usagi323, and zutarababe for reviewing!**

* * *

Lan hopped nervously from foot to foot. She could tell her grandfather was rather agitated with the current situation. She wasn't quite sure where they were after they had left the island. She only knew that Zuko had once again picked up Aang's trail and was after him. She tugged on Iroh's sleeve. "Where are we, Grandpa?"

Iroh's gaze wasn't deterred from the back of Zuko's head. "If you won't think or your own or my safety, think of Lan's. Sailing into Fire Nation waters is one of the most foolish things you have ever done."

Zuko's eyes remained trained on the flying bison overhead. "I don't have any other options."

"Have you forgotten that your father banished you!?" Iroh snapped. "If you're caught…" He trailed off when he saw Lan's eyes widen.

"Zuko, let's turn around." Lan went to Zuko's side and tugged on his hand. "We can get Aang later."

"My father will understand." Zuko brushed Lan aside. "Helmsman, full steam ahead."

Lan paced nervously on the deck as catapults were brought out. Her eyes flicker between the catapults being loaded with smelly fireballs and back up to the sky. "Please watch out, Aang." She whispered. She flinched as the first fireball was shot off. She covered her eyes, afraid to see if Appa would get hit. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Appa was still flying in the sky. She squinted as she looked at the horizon. "Grandpa, what's that?"

Zuko's eyes widened. "A blockade…"

Iroh picked Lan up and walked over to Zuko's side. "We are still in Earth Nation waters. You still have time to turn back. I can do nothing if you are captured."

Zuko looked first at his uncle and then into Lan's pleading amber eyes. "I'm sorry." He said softly before turning to the helmsman. "Run the blockade!"

Lan remained in Iroh's arms with her own wrapped around his neck. "Grandpa, why are they shooting when we're out here?" She buried her face in Iroh's neck as a barrage of fireballs that were aimed at the Avatar headed towards them.

Iroh held her tighter as the fireballs landed in the water close to the ship. He put her down. "Stay put, Lan." He ran off to help some of soldiers put out a fire at the back of the ship.

Lan tried her best to do as her grandfather had instructed but found it difficult with how the boat was rocking. One fireball caused a wave of water to crash onto the deck. Lan let out a yelp as the water whisked her towards the edge of the ship. She closed her eyes, expecting to land in the cold water. She opened them when she instead felt warm arms wrap around her. She smiled in relief up at her savior. "Thanks, Zuko."

Zuko cracked a small smile and kept her at his side. He made his way back towards the center of the deck. "No matter what, this ship keeps moving!" He barked at the crew.

"Zuko, we won't make it through." Iroh grit out as he returned to the deck and saw the blockade ships moving closer together.

"Yes, we will." Zuko said determinedly. He kept an arm around Lan as she buried her face in his side. "We'll be fine." He assured her.

Lan blinked as the ships suddenly stopped moving and their small, damaged ship was allowed through. She glanced up onto the deck of one of the ships and instantly regretted it when she saw Commander Zhao on board. She buried her face back in Zuko's side. "I don't like him."

"That makes two of us." Zuko said softly as they passed completely through. He winced as he felt a sharp pain in the side of his leg. He glared down at Lan. "Why'd you kick me!?"

"That was for being stupid!" She shouted, rubbing the tears from her eyes. "That was really scary, Zuko! We could've died!"

Zuko groaned when he saw his uncle giving him 'the look'. He knelt down and put his hands on Lan's shoulders. "Look, I wouldn't have let anything happen to you, okay? I won't ever let anything bad happen to you. So, stop crying already! Jeez."

Lan sniffled and wiped her eyes. "You better not do something stupid like that again."

"I can't believe I'm getting chastised by a seven year old." Zuko sighed out. "Why do you think he let us through, Uncle?"

"He wants you to lead him to the Avatar." Iroh answered.

Zuko smirked. "If he wants to follow our smoke, then we'll let him."

* * *

"I wanna go with you." Lan sat firmly in the small boat that was being lowered into the water for Zuko.

Zuko snarled and attempted to pull Lan out of the boat. "No way. You'll just get into trouble."

Lan sometimes cursed her petite size as Zuko hoisted her out of the boat and put her back in the ship. She attempted her best puppy eyes. "Please, Zuko? I'll be good. I promise."

"Stop with the eyes!" Zuko snapped. He sighed when her puppy eyes only intensified. "Fine. Just don't get in the way."

"Yay!" Lan leapt back into the ship and sat happily beside Zuko. "So, what're we doing?"

"We're capturing the Avatar." Zuko answered as the boat was lowered into the water.

"Oh…do we have to?" She flinched at the angry face Zuko made at her. "I'll take that as a yes."

As soon as the boat landed on the small fire temple island, Zuko leapt out of the boat and motioned for Lan to follow him. Lan stayed close to his side, trying her best not to make any sound.

Zuko led the two of them through the underground of the fire temple until they eventually found a set of stairs that led into the main building of the temple. Zuko shushed Lan when he saw Aang hiding behind a pillar.

Lan bit her lip, torn between helping her cousin and shouting at Aang to run. She really did like Aang and considered him a friend. She didn't have time to do anything because Zuko had already captured Aang and was using him as a prisoner.

"Lan, why didn't you stop him!?" Katara asked the young firebender as she, Sokka, and the Fire Sage that had helped them were tied to a pillar.

"I told you she was a bad kid!" Sokka snapped out.

"I'm not a bad kid!" Lan cried out.

"Don't be mean to her, Sokka." Aang smiled down at Lan. "It's okay. I don't blame you."

"You're coming with me." Zuko began leading Aang away when Aang suddenly twisted away from him and sent the Fire Nation Prince flying down the stairs.

Lan stood to the side as Aang ran to the doors that led to the inner sanctum of the temple. She made no move to stop him and even whispered a quiet 'go' as he slid through the closing doors. She watched as Zuko stumbled back up the stairs and over to the doors to attempt to open them with the help of the other Fire Sages.

Zuko whipped around and went to the Fire Sage tied to the pillar. "Why did you help him!?"

The Fire Sage looked boldly into Zuko's eyes. "Because it is the job of Sages to help the Avatar."

"Lan, watch out!" Katara cried out when she saw Zhao sneaking up behind Lan.

Lan screamed as her arm was grabbed in a painful grip and she was yanked off the ground. "Let me go!"

"Zhao, let her go!" Zuko snarled out.

Zhao clucked his tongue. "No. I think the Fire Lord will be pleased when I bring him three traitors."

"She isn't a traitor." Zuko barked back. His anger was intensifying as he watched Lan kicking the air helplessly.

"She travels with one." Zhao shook Lan about like a rag doll. "Be a good girl now and hold still."

Lan continued to struggle as she and Zuko were tied to a pillar opposite of Katara's and Sokka's. "Leave him alone!" Lan shouted as Zhao's Firebenders assumed battle stances outside the door. Suddenly, the doors that Aang had disappeared behind slowly began to open. A blinding light emanated from them and Lan had to turn her head away. She couldn't see what was happening but she could hear Zhao and his men firing fire blasts at the door.

A sudden wall of heat smacked the side of Lan's face. She yelped as a hand roughly grabbed her now free one and yanked her away. She glanced over her shoulder long enough to see not Aang, but Avatar Roku fighting Zhao and his men. She looked back ahead of her to Zuko. "What about Aang!?"

"We'll capture him another time!" Zuko snapped back. "Just keep up with me."

The temple was crumbling around them as they finally burst outside and headed for their tiny boat. While Zuko simply collapsed into the boat, Lan's eyes scanned the sky anxiously for any sign of Appa. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Aang, Katara, and Sokka all escape on Appa's back. "They're okay."

"What was that?" Zuko asked as their boat was pulled into the main ship.

Lan simply smiled over her shoulder at her cousin. "Oh, nothing."

* * *

**Again, I'm so sorry this took forever. Please review and let me know your thoughts!**


	6. The Pirates

**Hello again, everyone! Terribly sorry for my long absence. The last couple of weeks I've been finishing up classes, then I had the oh so exciting finals of doom. Now, it's summer vacation! I hope you can all forgive me for my tardiness!**

**Sakura02: Shame on you for not remembering! You get no cookies!**

**Thank you: Cayannamon, zutarababe, and WereWolf299 for your reviews.**

* * *

Lan yawned as she watched Zuko training on the deck with one of the crewmen. Zuko had been edgy ever since the incident at the Fire Temple and had been training even more than usual. "Zuko, play with me." Lan whined.

"Not now, Lan." Zuko snarled out as he continued firing blast after blast at the crewman.

Lan was about to start whining again when the ship suddenly started tilting. She squealed as she fell over onto her side. "What's happening!"

"Someone's changing our course." Zuko snarled out.

"Wait for me!" Lan scrambled to her feet and followed Zuko as he stormed to the room where the helmsman was navigating the ship. Lan wove around Zuko and ran over to Iroh whom was sitting in the room playing Pai Sho with a crewman. She sat beside her grandfather and watched the game intently.

Zuko snarled as he glared at all the crewmen. "What's going on! Nobody ordered you to change course!"

Iroh smiled and ruffled Lan's hair as he continued his game. "Actually, Zuko, I did. It is a matter of utmost importance, I assure you."

Lan stiffened suddenly. "Does it have to do with Aang…I mean, the Avatar?" She flinched at the glare Zuko sent her. He didn't like when she called Aang by his name.

"No." Iroh stared intently at the board, ignoring the dubious look Zuko was giving him. "I've lost my lotus tile."

Lan frowned thoughtfully. "What's so important about a lotus tile?"

"It's for my Pai Sho game." Iroh answered. "Most see it as an unimportant piece but I use it for my strategy. I'm hoping the merchants at the next dock will have the lotus tile."

"Grandpa, I think Zuko's really mad." Lan scooted further behind Iroh when she saw smoke pouring out of Zuko's nostrils.

Iroh simply laughed. "Nonsense! I'm sure Zuko doesn't mind." He chuckled as Zuko shot fire from his mouth. "See? I have such an understanding nephew."

Lan decided it was best to leave the room. She slowly crept out of the room and bolted for her own. In the safety of her own room, Lan laid on her bed and snuggled with the Earth Nation doll Iroh had given her when she was little. She stared up at the ceiling and thought about how obsessively Zuko chased Aang just to gain his father's approval. She wondered if it was different having a father instead of a grandfather since she knew Iroh would never treat her the way Zuko's father had treated him. She sat up when she heard a knock at the door. "Yes?"

Zuko poked his head in, annoyance still clear on his face. "We'll be docking in a few minutes." He sat down on the edge of her bed and watched her simply play with her doll for a moment. "Why'd you come?"

"Hm?" Lan held her doll in her lap and blinked up at Zuko.

"Why'd you leave the Fire Nation with me and Uncle?" Zuko elaborated.

Lan grinned up at her cousin. "Because you're my family and I love you both more than anything else in the whole world. I don't need a mommy or a daddy as long as I have Zuko and Grandpa." Lan threw her arms around Zuko's neck. "You guys are my most precious people!"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay. No need to get all clingy." He did pat her on the back before dislodging himself from the grinning child. "Come on. If you're good, I'll let Uncle buy you a new doll." He blinked as Lan squealed and ran passed him. "Kids…"

Lan was already standing impatiently at the top of the ramp leading to the dock. "Hurry up, Zuko, Grandpa! I want a new dress for my doll!" Before Zuko and Iroh could even catch up to her, Lan bolted down the ramp and into the busy marketplace.

She went to each vendor, staring intently at all their different wares. She was sad when she couldn't find any selling dolls or doll clothing. Her eyes suddenly lit up when they fell on a vendor selling jewelry. She walked over and smiled at the woman as she looked at all the sparkling jewelry. She paused at a decorative gold hair comb with a clump of painted orchids on it. "Excuse me, how much is this?" When the woman told her the price, her face fell. "Oh…never mind then." She wandered off to find Zuko and Iroh.

"Lan, where have you been?" Iroh asked as he looked up from one vendor's stall. "Zuko went off to look for you."

"I was just looking." Lan answered. "Did you find your lotus tile?"

"Unfortunately, no." Iroh sighed dejectedly.

"So, we've just wasted all our time!" Zuko snarled as he stormed over to them. His hands were behind his back as he glowered down at Lan. "You shouldn't run off like that! What if you'd gotten lost?"

Lan hung her head. "I'm sorry." She blinked when she felt something being put into her hair. Lifting her hand up, Lan was surprised to feel a comb in her hair. She rushed over to the edge of the dock to look at her reflection in the water. A squeal of joy came out of her when she realized it was the comb she had been looking at. "Thank you, Zuko!"

Zuko let out a grunt as he was tackled by the small girl. He looked away as he patted her back. "Yeah…well…I said you could get something…"

Iroh chuckled. "My goodness, you do spoil her, Zuko. Oh, this place looks promising!" He turned away as Zuko began shouting protests at him.

Lan smiled happily as she walked beside Zuko. She knew better than to try to hold his hand in public. She was actually surprised he hadn't shoved her away when she hugged him. Zuko was not a cuddly feely guy, especially not in public. She looked around when she realized they were on a pirate ship. "Oh, shiny stuff."

"Don't touch!" Zuko snapped as Lan's hand reached for an expensive looking ruby necklace. He cocked his head to the side when he heard the pirates speaking to each other.

"We lost the Water Tribe girl and the monk she was with." One of them growled out.

Lan stiffened as she noticed the excited glint in Zuko's eyes. She tried to ignore the tightness in her chest as Zuko went over to talk to the pirates about the group they had seen. "Please be far away, Aang." She whispered.

Iroh noticed the distress on his granddaughter's face. He knelt beside her and gave her a one armed hug. "Don't worry, Lan. Everything will turn out all right in the end."

* * *

"You're letting the kid tag along?" The Pirate Captain raised his eyebrow as Lan stood on the small cutter craft with the rest of the pirates, Zuko, Iroh, and a few Firebenders.

Lan puffed her cheeks out. "I'm not a kid."

"She won't get in the way." Zuko said firmly.

Lan was about to retort when they all heard a shout of frustration. Lan immediately recognized the voice as belonging to Katara. "Zuko, maybe this isn't a good idea."

"Stay here, Lan." Iroh said as he followed Zuko and the others off the docked boat. "We'll be right back."

"I'm not staying here." Lan muttered under her breath at the departing men's backs. There wasn't much she could do to help Katara right now but if she could find Aang and Sokka…

"Aang, wake up." Lan shook the Airbender's shoulders. She had watched Zuko and the others capture Katara before slipping into the woods to find Aang and Sokka. "Aang!"

Aang yawned and slowly opened his eyes. He shot up and looked at Lan with a startled expression. "What are you doing here, Lan! Where's Zuko!"

"That's why I woke you up." Lan hissed. "Zuko is…"

"Evil Firebender child in our camp!" Sokka screeched as he suddenly woke up. He looked around frantically. "Where's Katara!"

"I'm not evil!" Lan huffed out. "And that's why I came here! Zuko is…"

"She took the scroll!" Sokka shouted. "I swear, she's obsessed with that thing. I mean, just because Aang is better at Waterbending then her doesn't mean she needs to go all crazy!"

"Would you listen to me!" Lan shouted.

"Sokka, I think Lan has something important to tell us." Aang tried to calm Sokka down.

"I can't believe she ran off with the scroll!" Sokka continued, ignoring Lan and Aang. "It's only a matter of time before she gets us in tro—" His sentence was cut off as a rope wrapped around his wrist and yanked him off.

"Sokka!" Lan shouted. She yelped as she was suddenly hoisted into the air by one of the pirates. "Let me go!"

"Hey, leave her alone!" Aang shouted. He wasn't able to help her much since he had a net thrown over him.

Lan watched helplessly as they threw a net over a screaming Sokka as well and dragged the two off. She kicked the pirate in the face and stormed off after the trailing nets.

"Lan, where were you!" Zuko shouted when he saw his cousin standing beside the two prisoners that now had their hands bound behind their backs.

"We found her with these two." One of the pirates motioned to Sokka and Aang.

Zuko's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What were you doing?"

Lan suddenly found her feet to be the most interesting thing in the world. "I was…I was trying to….I wanted to find them and…"

"She was trying to capture us all by herself." Aang interjected. "She was trying to impress you by catching us and bringing us back to you. Right?" He looked at Lan encouragingly.

"R-right!" Lan nodded vigorously. "I wanted Zuko to be proud of me so I thought if I brought the Avatar back, you'd be happy."

Zuko stared at the two for a moment before turning his attention to the pirates. "Give me the boy."

The Pirate Captain held his hand out impatiently. "Give us the scroll first."

Sokka raised an incredulous eyebrow. "You're going to trade the Avatar for a piece of paper?"

"Don't listen to him!" Zuko shouted.

"Sokka, did you hit your head too hard when you fell?" Lan asked, wondering why Sokka would sell Aang out.

"Yeah, Sokka, you should really shut your mouth." Aang ground out.

The Pirate Captain looked at Aang and then back to Zuko. "You can keep the scroll. We'll take the Avatar."

Lan knew to duck as soon as the pirates turned their backs on Zuko. She wasn't sure what all was going on around her. All she knew was there was a lot of screaming and the sound of explosions and then the entire area was completely covered in smoke. She laid flat on the ground. "Aang, Sokka, where are you!" She yelped when she felt a pair of arms scoop her up and run through the smoke.

"I can't believe I'm saving the evil Fire Nation child." Sokka muttered as he broke the smoke with Aang right in front of him.

"I'm not evil!" Lan protested. "Thanks…"

Sokka shrugged nonchalantly. "You wouldn't happen to have a ship we could use to escape."

"Where's Appa?" Lan asked as Sokka put her down and she ran along beside the group.

"He's hiding right now." Aang explained.

"Well, you can't use our ship." Lan said thoughtfully. "But, you can use their ship." She watched as Katara and Aang used their Waterbending to push the ship back into the water.

"Lan, come with us." Aang held his hand out to her as he prepared to board the ship.

Hesitantly, Lan reached her hand out to Aang's. Before his hand could enclose hers, though, she pulled back and shook her head. "I can't. I have to take care of Zuko and Grandpa." She watched as Aang boarded the ship. Lan ran along beside the ship for a moment. "Be careful, okay!"

Aang grinned and waved at her. "We'll see you soon!"

Lan waved back. She blinked when first she saw the pirates in Zuko's cutter ship and then Zuko and Iroh running past her. With a sigh she chased after her cousin and grandfather in time to watch the pirate ship fall over the waterfall and Aang and his group get away on Appa. The pirates leapt from the small cutter ship and let if fall over the edge.

"My boat!" Zuko howled.

"It's okay. We'll get a new one." Lan said comfortingly to Zuko as she patted his arm. She hid a small smile as she watched Appa flying away.

"Zuko, you're going to get a kick out of this." Iroh laughed breathlessly as he caught up. "The lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!" Iroh grinned as he held said tile up.

Zuko tried his best to control his temper. He grabbed the lotus tile and hurled it as far away as he could.

Lan looked up at him. "You know we have to find him a new one now, right?" She laughed as Zuko spewed fire in sheer anger.

* * *

**Bleh, kind of so-so ending. Review please and let me know your thoughts!**


	7. Stormy Memories

**Yay! Sakura02 is coming to spend the weekend with me and I don't have to go to work today! All is right in the world :)**

**Sakura02: Yes, Zuko is a cranky Dragon Lady and you know that will never change.**

**Thank you: Jammy8694 and Cayannamon for your review!**

**Ouch, only three reviews? Come on, guys. Let's try and get that number up this time around.**

* * *

"There's a storm coming." Lan commented offhandedly as she rocked on her heels on the deck beside her grandfather and cousin.

Zuko glanced up from the telescope to raise an eyebrow at the child. "Are you crazy? There's not a cloud in the sky."

"No, she's right." Iroh glanced up from his Pai Sho game and looked warily up at the sky. "It's coming from the north. We should head back south until the storm passes."

Lan stood beside Zuko and pulled on his sleeve. "Zuko, if we go into the storm, everyone might get hurt."

Zuko brushed her hand aside irritably. "The crew's safety isn't important! All the matters is finding the Avatar!" He shoved passed Lieutenant Jee of the ship and went down towards his room.

"I'm sorry about Zuko." Lan apologized to him, bowing slightly. "He gets cranky when there are storms. I don't think he likes the rain much. He's really not that mean, honest."

Lieutenant Jee cracked a smile and patted Lan's head. "No need to worry, Princess Lan. I honestly don't see how you could possibly be related to that spoiled brat."

Lan puffed her cheeks out and glared as ferociously as she could at him. "Zuko isn't a spoiled brat! He has some serious issues he has to work through!" With that she stormed passed the Lieutenant and to Zuko's room. She poked her head into Zuko's room to find him sulking on his bed. "Zuko?"

"What?" Zuko snapped irritably. He sighed when Lan slightly flinched and backed away. "Sorry." He muttered. "What is it?"

Cautiously, Lan walked into the room and sat on Zuko's bed. She smiled warily at him. "Are you all right, Zuko?"

Zuko shrugged. He tensed as Lan snuggled into his side but then hesitantly wrapped his arm around Lan's shoulders. "You understand, right? You understand why I have to capture the Avatar."

Lan sighed. "I do, but…" she didn't dare finish her sentence. She really didn't care if they were in the Fire Nation or on the ocean. As long as she had her cousin and grandfather with her, she was happy. "Hey, Zuko, can we go train on the deck? I wanna practice my kicks."

"Don't start crying if you fall on your face." Zuko smirked as he stood up and followed an overexcited Lan out onto the deck. He frowned when he saw the dark clouds accumulating in the sky and the irritated look on the Lieutenants face.

"Looks like your uncle and Princess Lan were right about the storm." Lieutenant Jee sneered.

Lan glanced nervously at Zuko as his face darkened with anger. She reached out to touch his hand. "Zuko…"

Zuko yanked his hand away and stomped over to the Lieutenant. "You better learn some respect." He growled out as he poked the Lieutenant in the chest. He shoved back passed him. "Lan go to your room until this storm is over."

Lieutenant Jee could no longer contain his anger. "Respect! What do you know of respect! You treat your esteemed uncle like trash and Princess Lan like a common child! You have put all our lives in danger and you don't care! You care for no one but yourself! You are nothing but a spoiled prince!"

Lan rushed forward and pounded her tiny fists against the Lieutenant. "Don't you dare talk about Zuko like that! You don't know anything about him! You don't know what happened…"

"Lan!" Zuko yelled. "Shut up!"

"But…" Lan flinched and her shoulders drooped. She could tell Zuko was furious for what she had almost said. When both Zuko and the Lieutenant assumed battle stances, Lan panicked. "Wait, guys! We shouldn't fight!"

"Now, both of you need to calm yourself." Iroh said calmly. He frowned when he noticed the two had begun crossing their wrists to prepare to fight with Lan still stuck helplessly in the middle. He moved himself in between the two and ended the fight before it began. "That is enough! Everyone is exhausted from being at the sea for so long. I'm sure after we all eat we'll all feel much better."

"Zuko…" Lan reached out as Zuko and the Lieutenant turned from each other and winced away as Zuko roughly shoved her away.

"It's all right." Iroh knelt beside his granddaughter and kissed her forehead. "Give him some time alone. You know how he gets."

"But…" Lan whimpered as she watched Zuko storm back down below deck. "I hate when he gets mad at me…" As the first drops of rain fell from the sky, Lan began to cry.

* * *

Lan was curled up on her bed, her tears almost dried up. She was just sniffling now, clinging to a small doll that Zuko had given her on her second birthday. She had tried to talk to Zuko earlier but he refused to even look at her. "Zuko…" Her eyes drooped and she nodded off to sleep.

_"'Uko! 'Uko!" A much tinier Lan toddled after the young prince, her small arms held out in front of her to keep her balance._

_Zuko turned around and grinned. He knelt down and held his arms open to her. "Come here, Lan!" As soon as she was in his arms, he hoisted her up and grunted. "You're getting heavier."_

_Lan simply beamed up at Zuko and kissed his cheek. "Wuv you, 'Uko!"_

_"I love you too, Lan!" Zuko rubbed his nose against Lan's. "I'll always protect you. I won't let anything hurt you, not even Azula."_

Lan sat up in her bed and looked around sleepily. She could hear the thunder and lightning outside and curled up under her blankets. She hated thunder and would normally go to Zuko to cuddle. She simply curled up tighter and squeezed her eyes shut.

_"Zuko, where are you going?" Lan huffed impatiently as she chased her cousin and grandfather. Her hair was in a tight bun and she was clothed in an elegant red dress. _

_"I'm going to the war council." Zuko beamed, clearly proud of himself. _

_Lan pouted at her grandfather. "Can I come too, Grandfather?"_

_Iroh chuckled and patted Lan's head. "No, you are much too little. Wait outside for us."_

_"Fine." Lan puffed her cheeks out but plopped down outside the war room. She could hear raised voices and perked up when she heard Zuko's angry voice. _

The ship was rocking now and Lan couldn't help crying again. She was so afraid and alone. She couldn't go to Zuko for help this time. "Zuko!"

_"Grandfather, stop them!" Lan struggled in Iroh's grasp as Zuko stood on the platform with all the high ranking officials surrounding it. When she saw Ozai appear to fight Zuko. "Grandfather!"_

_Iroh simply looked away and covered Lan's eyes. _

_When Lan heard Zuko's scream of anguish, she began to cry. "Zuko!"_

Lan couldn't bear the sound of the thunder anymore. Crying, she hopped out of her bed to find Zuko. She cried as she looked all over the ship for him. She couldn't find him anywhere. The only place she hadn't checked yet was the deck. She hesitated a moment beside the door that would he lead to the deck. She took a deep breath before pushing the door open.

The storm was raging outside and the window tossed Lan around. She screamed as she slid towards the edge of the boat. Lan managed to grab the railing as her lower body flew over the edge of the ship. She began crying again. "Someone, help!" The rain had made the railings slippery and difficult for Lan to keep her small hands wrapped around. As her fingers slipped, Lan screamed.

"Lan!"

Lan blinked as she suddenly stopped falling and felt a warm hand envelope hers. She looked up and despite her tears, she smiled. "Zuko!"

With the Lieutenant's help, Zuko pulled Lan up onto the deck. Zuko fell back as Lan tackled him. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. "Idiot, what were you doing up here?"

Lan sniffled as she hugged Zuko. "I was scared of the thunder and I was trying to find you and I couldn't so I came out here and I almost fell!" She bawled out.

Iroh chuckled as he came over. "Are you all right, Lan?"

"Yeah." She looked up into the sky and saw Appa flying above them. Her grip on Zuko tightened. "Zuko…"

Zuko looked up along with the rest of the group. "The Avatar!"

"Sir, what should we do?" Lieutenant Jee asked.

Lan blinked. Lieutenant Jee seemed to look at Zuko differently now. A gleam of respect was in his eyes when he looked at Zuko. "Zuko?"

Zuko looked up where the Avatar was, so close to his grasp. Then, he looked down at his drenched cousin and his clearly exhausted group. They had managed to take minimal damage with the storm so far…He sighed and smiled briefly at Lan. "Let's get this ship to safety."

Lan's eyes lit up as Zuko picked her up. "Zuko, can we take a bath together?"

"No!" Zuko snapped, clearly embarrassed.

Iroh looked up as the rain slowly died down. They were in the eye of the storm. "Lan, go take a bath and get in some dry clothes before you catch a cold."

"Okay." Lan beamed as she tugged on Zuko after he put her down. "Let's go take a bath!"

"I said no!" Zuko protested as Lan dragged him away. He forced Lan to slow down. "I'm sorry for earlier, Lan."

Lan grinned up at him. "It's okay. I love you, Zuko."

Zuko cracked a smile that Lan couldn't see. "I know, Lan. I know."

* * *

**All right, guys. Please review!**


	8. Lullaby

**Tomorrow is my birthday! I'm finally going to be 21!**

**Sakura02: Lol, no! You should've hurried up faster! We were late because of your shenanigans :P**

**Thank you: raspburrie547, LunaBell08, Danielle the Grammar Nazi, and Graystar1 for reviewing!**

* * *

Lan yawned as she sat in the navigation room. Zuko was busy pouring over maps with Lieutenant Jee and Iroh was playing Pai Sho with a few of the other crew members. "Zuko, I'm bored. Play with me."

"Not now, Lan." Zuko said softly. He sighed when he looked up and saw her giving him puppy eyes. "Once I'm done with this, we'll go play Fire Tag."

Lan's eyes lit up. "I love Fire Tag!" She blinked when the room was suddenly cast into shadow by a rather large Fire Nation navy ship going by them. "What do they want? Don't even tell me to go to my room, Zuko, because I'm not."

Zuko glared briefly at her before turning away and muttering something about stubborn children and locking away. His glare intensified when a Herald from the ship appeared. "What do you want?" He snapped.

The Herald was slightly taken aback for a moment before unrolling a wanted poster with Aang's face. "The capture of the Avatar has been given the utmost importance. Any and all information is to be immediately reported to Admiral Zhao."

"Ugh, that stupid man got promoted." Lan didn't even attempt to hide her disgust.

Iroh simply chuckled. "Now, Lan, remember your manners. We should be glad for him that he got promoted."

Zuko stood stiffly with his arms folded over his chest. "I have no information on the Avatar to report to Zhao. Now get off my ship and let us pass."

The Herald was once again taken aback before straightening up. "Admiral Zhao is not allowing any ships in or out of the area."

"Off my ship!" Zuko roared.

Lan laughed gleefully as the Herald scurried away with the two soldiers that had accompanied him. "Scaredy cats." She frowned when she saw the thoughtful look on Zuko's face. "Zuko…"

Zuko snapped out of his reverie. "Sorry, Lan. I'm not much in the mood for playing. Maybe later."

Lan watched sadly as her cousin walked out of the room. She looked over at Lieutenant Jee whom simply shrugged. "Grandpa, what's wrong with Zuko?"

Iroh said nothing for a moment. "Lan, why don't you go take a bath."

Lan would've protested but she could see her grandfather wouldn't be budged by her for once. With a huff, Lan left the room and made her way to her bathroom. The tub was already filled which was no surprise to Lan. Iroh would usually have to trick her and throw her into the tub so he always had it prepared. She carefully heated the side of the tub to warm the water before taking her clothes off and hopping in. She stared up at the ceiling as she simply floated in the warm water.

Zuko had been acting rather strange lately. She would wake in the middle of the night and often walk onto the deck to find him staring over the railing. He was much quieter now since the storm and it troubled Lan. Her cousin was many things but quiet was not one of them.

She quickly shook the thoughts from her head and quickly bathed. She hopped out of the bath and dressed but left her hair down. She looked in the mirror and smiled as she saw how long her hair was. It was almost as long as Ursa's now. She had never known her own mother and had always considered Ursa to be her own.

"Lieutenant Jee," Lan called as she left her room. "Have you seen Zuko?"

"He's up on the deck with your grandfather." Jee answered.

Lan thanked him and sprinted off towards the deck. She hoped Zuko was feeling better and would want to play with her now. She paused outside the door when she saw Zuko and Iroh talking.

"You haven't given the men orders for nearly an hour now." Iroh said with concern.

"I don't care what they do." Zuko said softly.

Iroh sighed and moved towards his nephew. "Not all hope is lost. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao."

"How?" Zuko asked and the pain was clear in his voice. "Zhao's resources far exceed mine. He'll capture the Avatar in no time." He turned back to the sea but Lan could see the sorrow on his face. "My honor, my throne, my country…I'm about to lose them all."

Lan rested against the wall beside the door. She played with her fingers and bit her lip. Hearing the desperation in her cousin's voice hurt her.

"Lan, what are you doing here?" Iroh asked as he stepped back inside the ship. He smiled and hugged his granddaughter when he saw the hurt on her face. "It'll be all right." He then released her and went off.

Zuko didn't look up when he heard footsteps. He felt Lan's tiny arms wrap around his waist and he placed a hand on her back. "I'm sorry. I know you have…grown fond of the Avatar…but…"

Lan shook her head and hugged Zuko tighter. "It doesn't matter. I'll help you capture him. Your happiness is the most important thing to me in the whole world, Zuko. As long as I have you and Grandpa, I don't need anybody else. I don't need friends or a boyfriend or anything. You and Grandpa are all I'll ever need."

Zuko smiled down at her but remained silent. After a few moments of the two just staring at the sea, he finally spoke up. "Do you still want to play Fire Tag?"

"Yes!" Lan's eyes lit up. "You're it!" She squealed as she disentangled herself from Zuko and ran to the far end of the deck.

Iroh found the two hours later still playing with Lan tackling Zuko to the ground. He sighed before approaching the two. "It seems Zhao has capture the Avatar."

"What!" Zuko shouted as he stood up, knocking Lan to the deck.

"Zuko…" Lan could see the anger, fear, and anguish all mixing together on Zuko's face. As he stormed off towards his room, Lan made an attempt to rush after him but Iroh held her back.

"Let him be." Iroh said softly. He smiled down at his granddaughter. "Why don't you get your flute ready? It's Music Night tonight."

* * *

Lan stood outside Zuko's door as the sun dipped completely beneath the horizon. She was wearing a silk red dress with a golden phoenix wrapping around it. Her hair was loose save for the two tiny braids framing her face. She clutched her flute in her hand hesitantly before knocking on the door. "Zuko, everyone's on the deck. Are you going to come?" When she got no response, she sighed. "I'm going to play my flute. I want you to hear me…" Still no response. "Okay…"

Iroh smiled as Lan arrived on the deck. "There you are!" He ushered her over to sit on a barrel. "Play a song Lieutenant Jee can sing to."

Lan returned Iroh's smile and reluctantly began to play. She couldn't help laughing as the crew loudly sang and played instruments, some better than others. Though she continued to play through the night, she kept looking towards the door, hoping Zuko would come out.

The moon was high in the sky when Lan yawned. Iroh noticed and scooped her up off the barrel. "It's past your bedtime." He said softly.

Lan mumbled an incoherent answer. She could hear the crew bidding her good night as Iroh carried her to her room. She clutched her flute tightly in her hand all the way to her room.

Iroh had to pry the flute from her hand. He carefully placed it on her bedside table as he changed Lan into her nightgown and tucked the exhausted child in. He kissed her forehead. "Good night, Lan."

Lan wasn't sure how long she had been asleep when she heard the sound of a door opening and closing. She sat up and looked around her darkened room. She quietly slipped out of her bed and grabbed her flute before tiptoeing down the hallway towards Zuko's room. She slowly opened the door.

"I said no disturbances, Uncle." Zuko groaned out as he sat up in his bed. He froze when he saw Lan standing there, clutching her flute tightly. "Lan, shouldn't you be asleep?"

"Where were you?" Lan asked softly as she went to sit beside Zuko on his bed. "I wanted you to hear me play…"

Zuko sighed and ruffled her hair. "Sorry. I was…busy…" He looked over towards the opposite wall. He glanced over and saw Lan staring at him. "Will you play for me now?"

Lan's eyes lit up. "Yeah! I'll play you a lullaby so you'll go to sleep."

Zuko rolled his eyes and remained sitting up. He couldn't help the smile that cracked on his face as Lan began playing. Though she was young, she was a gifted musician. His mother had discovered Lan's talent when she was only three and had encouraged Lan to play until that day…

Lan finished the lullaby and yawned. "Zuko?" She asked when she saw the frown on his face. "You didn't like it?"

"No, it was amazing." Zuko reassured. He smirked when Lan yawned again. "You should go back to bed."

"Can I stay with you?" Lan asked.

Zuko was about to protest but found he was too tired. He flopped back down on his bed. "Sure." He chuckled as Lan squealed and dove under the covers.

Lan snuggled up close to Zuko, having placed her flute on the table beside his bed. "Good night, Zuko." She kissed his cheek before closing her eyes. "Sweet dreams."

Zuko stared at her for a moment. "Yeah…sweet dreams…."

* * *

**This chapter was very different from how I originally planned it but I really like it. Please review and let me know your thoughts!**


	9. The Bounty Hunter

**Sakura02: Yeah, Lan was originally going to go with Zuko and be a mini blue spirit but I figured it would be too obvious to Zhao who it was :P**

**zutarababe: Actually, counting this chapter, there's only four more until we move on to the second season.**

**AvatarCat09: Thank you so much! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter too! :)**

**Graystar1: I actually have a schedule of when I update so go check it out to know when this story will be updated.**

**Thanks: raspburries547 for your reviews!**

* * *

Lan sighed as she stared down into her cup of tea. Her, Iroh, and Zuko were all sitting around a table in one of Zuko's meditation rooms. She was bored. Iroh had insisted they all take time to relax and have a moment a quiet. Lan hated quiet. It was far too…well…quiet.

Iroh sighed in content as he sipped his tea. "You see, Zuko, Lan, a moment of quiet is good for your mental well being.

Zuko raised his cup to take a sip. He gasped in shock as the hot liquid splashed all over his face due to the boat suddenly shaking violently. He snarled as Lan fell over laughing at him and stomped up onto the deck to see what had happened.

Lan, hoping something exciting was happening, followed Zuko. She wasn't disappointed as the two emerged onto the deck with Iroh close behind them. A creature she had seen in a picture book was sniffing around on the deck with a dark haired woman riding it. "Grandpa, that's a Shirshu!"

The woman glanced over at them. "Get yourself and your crew back! I'm looking for a stowaway!"

Zuko snarled as he looked at the woman. "There are no stowaways on this ship." He blinked as the Shirshu ripped off a piece of the deck and stuck it's head down into the hole. "Hey!"

"Zuko, who's that man?" Lan asked as a man attempted to crawl across the deck. Her eyes widened as the Shirshu whipped the back of the man's neck with it's tongue and the man fell to the ground, his eyes wide with fear. "Zuko, what'd it do?" She asked, pulling on her cousin's hand.

"He's paralyzed." Zuko explained.

The woman leapt off the shirshu's back and threw the man onto the back of the giant creature. "Only temporarily. But, by the time the toxin has worn off, he'll be in jail and I'll have collected my money." The woman blinked as she felt a tug on her dress. She looked down at Lan. "Yes?"

"You're pretty." Lan grinned. "What's your name?"

The woman cracked a smile and patted Lan's head. "Cute kid. I'm Jun. What's your name?"

"Lan." Lan answered as the woman climbed back onto the shirshu.

Zuko, still clearly annoyed by the whole situation, crossed his arms over his chest. "How did you find that man on my ship."

Jun patted the shirshu's head lovingly. "My shirshu can sniff out a rat a continent away." She cracked her whip and the shirshu bolted off the boat.

"I'm very impressed." Iroh said, stroking his beard as he watched Jun disappearing.

Zuko poked Lan when he saw the star struck look on her face. "What's wrong with you?"

"I want to be just like her when I grow up!" Lan exclaimed. "She's so cool and pretty!"

"That stupid beast trashed my ship!" Zuko snarled out. He looked thoughtfully at the hole for a moment before pulling Katara's necklace from his pocket. "A rat from a continent away…Uncle, Lan, let's go!"

* * *

Lan looked warily up at the building they had stopped in front of. "What are we doing here, Zuko?" She blinked as Zuko stormed into the building. "Wait for me, Zuko!" She cried as she quickly attached herself to her cousin's hand.

Zuko rolled his eyes. With his free hand, a shoved a few patrons of the establishment out of the way, making sure to keep Lan close to his side. "Out of my way, you filth!"

Lan giggled when she heard her grandfather apologizing to the men Zuko had just shoved aside. Her eyes lit up when they fell on Jun at a table arm wrestling a man twice her size. "I knew that was her shirshu outside! Miss Jun!" she called excitedly as she rushed over to the table, leaving Zuko's side.

Jun glanced over at Lan as Iroh and Zuko came to flank either side of her. "Well, if it isn't my new friends, Angry Boy, Lazy Uncle, and Pretty Princess. What brings the three of you here?" She swiftly shoved the man's arm to the table and smirked as piles of gold coins were pushed towards her.

Zuko growled, clearly irritated with having to be in the filthy building. "Your beast trashed my ship. I demand payment."

Jun raised an eyebrow as she continued pulling the pile of coins towards herself. "Well, I'd really love to help you guys out, but I'm a little short on cash." She turned to the crowd. "Drinks on me!"

Lan tugged on Zuko's hand. "Zuko, can I have a drink? I'm thirsty."

Zuko snarled at a man that attempted to hand Lan a cup of something that was certainly not kid friendly. He glared back at Jun and grabbed her hand as she brought her cup to her lips. "I don't want your money."

Intrigued, Jun followed the trio out of the bar and into the cool night air. She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently. "Well?"

Zuko pulled Katara's necklace out of his pocket, ignoring Lan's wide eyes. "I need you to find someone."

Jun chuckled. "What happened? Your girlfriend run away from you? Not that I'd blame her."

Zuko flushed red. "It's not the girl I'm after! It's the bald monk she's traveling with!"

Lan suddenly felt very sick to her stomach. If Aang and the others were caught by Jun and her shirshu…she didn't think there was anyway Aang could escape. She wasn't sure when Jun had come to agreement with Zuko but she was suddenly hoisted up into the saddle of the shirshu in front of Zuko. She pouted at being squished between her grandfather and cousin but didn't complain. "Zuko…"

"If you don't want to come, Lan, go back to the ship." Was all Zuko said.

Jun glanced back as she cracked her whip and got the shirshu to start running. "Hey, don't be so mean to the kid. She seems pretty cool."

"Only because you aren't stuck with her day after day." Zuko mumbled. He winced as Lan pinched his hand. He glared down at her and pulled on her cheek.

"Don't make me turn this shirshu around." Iroh scolded.

Eventually, Lan settled down and rested her head on Zuko. She yawned and snuggled into her cousin. "Zuko, don't hurt Aang, okay?" She said, half asleep already. "He's really a nice person and…he's my friend."

Zuko looked down and sighed, seeing his cousin already asleep. "I know. I'm sorry, Lan."

* * *

Lan was shaken awake she wasn't sure how much later. She looked around and saw they had suddenly stopped on a forest path. Her eyes widened when she saw the two people in front of them. "Katara! Sokka!"

"Lan, what are you doing here?" Katara asked, clearly alarmed as Zuko leapt off the shirshu and approached them.

Jun raised an eyebrow. "Wow. No wonder your girlfriend left you. She's way too pretty."

"Where is he?" Zuko hissed. "Where's the Avatar?"

"We split up." Sokka answered defiantly. "He's long gone by now." He grabbed Katara's arm and made an attempt to run away.

Lan's eyes widened as the shirshu paralyzed both Katara and Sokka. She hopped out of saddle and rushed over to the two. She was stopped by Zuko placing a hand on her shoulder as the shirshu searched for something with Aang's scent on it. It seemed to find something as it growled low in its throat. She sighed sadly as Zuko and Jun tossed the paralyzed Katara and Sokka onto the back of the saddle. "I'm really sorry about this, guys." She apologized to the two. She was now sitting behind Zuko with her back against his.

"It's cool." Sokka sighed out.

"Where's Aang anyways?" She asked. She tilted her head to the side as Sokka and Katara remained silent.

"We kind of…got into a bit of a fight." Katara answered sadly. "We were going back to find him before we ran into you guys."

"Oh." Was all Lan said. She yelped as the shirshu stormed through what appeared to be an abbey and circling the main courtyard. "What's it doing?" She glanced up in the air and her eyes widened as she saw the Avatar rushing towards them on his glider. "Aang!"

The shirshu leapt up and attempted to snap at Aang. It missed and merely succeeded in dumping all of its occupants out onto the ground. Lan barely had time to scramble away as the shirshu fell to the ground as well. She remained sitting on the ground as Jun leapt back onto the shirshu and went after the Avatar. Lan sat on the ground watching as the battle became one between Zuko and Aang. She stood up, trying to decide which of the two she should help.

"Lan, come out of harms way." Iroh said softly, ushering his granddaughter close to one of the walls to watch the rest of the fight. "I don't want you to do something you'll regret."

"I wasn't going to help Aang!" Lan protested.

Iroh sighed and knelt beside his granddaughter, trying his best to ignore the fight going on. "That's the problem. You would help Zuko because he is your cousin and I know how much you love him. But, you are friends with the Avatar and his group. If you helped Zuko to capture him, it would sadden you. If you help the Avatar, though, you'll be hurting Zuko, and that will hurt you as well. For now, stay on the sidelines, and wait."

Lan sniffled, growing frustrated. "How will I know who I'm supposed to help?"

"Your path will reveal itself to you in good time." Iroh smiled. "You must be patient." He looked up in time to see the shirshu going berserk due to perfume being splashed all over his face. His eyes widened in horror as Zuko and Jun both got lashed by the shirshu's tongue. "Jun, no!"

Lan blinked as her grandfather rushed forward and caught Jun. She giggled as Zuko simply fell to the ground. She rushed over to where Aang and the others were scrambling into Appa's saddle. "Aang!"

Aang grinned down at her. "Hey, Lan! Sorry we can't stay long today!"

"It's okay." Lan grinned. "Are you three all done fighting now. It's no fun when you fight with your family, you know."

Aang, Katara, and Sokka all smiled at each other. "Yeah, we know." Katara answered. She waved at Lan as Appa launched himself into the sky. "Take care, Lan. Try and keep your cousin off our trail."

Lan simply waved as the three disappeared into the sky. She went back over to where Zuko and Jun were paralyzed. She blinked as Iroh was lying beneath Jun with his arm wrapped around her waist. "Grandpa, you didn't get attacked by the shirshu tongue."

Iroh cracked an eye open. "Shhh…"

Lan giggled at the clearly irritated look on Jun's face. She looked up into the sky where she could no longer see Aang and the others. "Bye, Aang…"

* * *

**Review please! I can't believe we're almost done with the first season!**


	10. Explosion

**I apologize for the last chapter. I wasn't in the mood to write when I wrote it. I hope this chapter will make up for it! By the way, the Airbender movie is horrible…**

**Also, sorry I didn't update the other week. I wasn't in the mood to write it and I didn't want it to turn out like the last chapter. Please forgive me!**

**Danielle The Grammar Nazi: Yes, I'm really sorry for that**

**Sakura02: Yes, we're on our way to the North Pole!**

**Thanks: AvatarCat09 and Graystar1 for reviewing!**

* * *

Lan smiled as she played a soft melody on her flute. Everyone (save for Zuko) was out on the deck enjoying yet another music night. It was a calm, cool night with the breeze causing small waves in the water. The sound of her grandfather's voice singing was lulling Lan into a peaceful half-awake state. Lieutenant Jee sent her a brief smile as he strummed his fingers across what Lan thought was called a lute. Another crewman chuckled as he kept time with drums while two crewmembers danced together.

A feeling of unease made Lan pause in her flute playing. She looked up and practically snarled when she saw the man stepping onto the ship with soldiers behind him. "Zhao…"

Iroh put a comforting arm on his granddaughter's shoulder. "What brings you here, Admiral Zhao? Have you come to enjoy our music night?"

"Hardly." Zhao smirked down at Lan and roughly ruffled her hair. "Quite the spirited little thing you have here, General Iroh."

Iroh laughed good-naturedly and moved himself between Lan and Zhao to prevent Lan from biting Zhao's hand off. "Yes. She gets it from her mother. Lan, why don't you go and check on Zuko while Admiral Zhao and I talk."

Lan opened her mouth to protest but a stern look from her grandfather made her keep her mouth shut. She glared one last time at Zhao before storming off the deck and down the stairs to where the rooms were.

Zuko was startled when his door was suddenly thrown open. He blinked as Lan attached herself to him. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you really that upset because I wouldn't come and play the sumki horn?"

"I hate that man!" Lan hissed out, burying her face in Zuko's stomach. Zhao always upset her when she saw him. She wasn't sure what it was about him aside from the fact that he was rather cruel to her most beloved cousin. There was something else, though, that bothered her but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Who?" Zuko forced Lan to look up at him. "What's wrong?"

Iroh poked his head in at that moment. "I'm afraid I have some bad news, Zuko."

Zuko didn't miss the way Lan tensed up before he saw the man entering the room. He snarled and pulled Lan closer. "What are you doing here, Zhao?"

Zhao smirked as he looked around the room. "I will be taking all of your crew for a little…expedition to the North Pole."

Lan's eyes widened. "You can't do that! You can't take Jee and everyone away!" Her lower lip trembled when Iroh refused to look her in the eye. "You can't…you can't do that…" Lan began to cry.

"Is this true, Uncle?" Zuko glared at Zhao while he attempted to calm Lan down. He picked her up and sighed as she began crying into his shoulder.

Iroh sighed. "I'm afraid so."

Zhao smirked triumphantly at Zuko. "I'm sorry you won't be able to see me capture the Avatar. I can't afford to have you getting in the way, though. I'm sure you understand."

Lan blinked as Zuko suddenly put her down. "Zuko, don't!" She cried out when she saw him charging at Zhao.

Iroh stopped Zuko before he could attack Zhao. He shook his head at his nephew, seeing the fury in his eyes.

Zuko took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He looked down when he felt Lan's hand grab his and squeeze it gently. He didn't say anything, but he kept a firm grip on her hand.

Zhao, unfazed by Zuko's almost attack, stared at the two broadswords on Zuko's wall. His eyes widened suddenly before he took one off the wall. "I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko."

"I'm not. They're antiques. Merely decorative." Zuko said.

Even though his voice was calm, Lan could feel his hand trembling. She held it tighter and leaned against his side. She glared at Zhao as he placed the swords back on the wall. "Why don't you just go away?"

Zhao smirked down at her. "Tell me, Princess Lan, do you know who the Blue Spirit is?"

"No." Lan hissed out, hiding herself behind Zuko. "What does that have to do with you going away?"

"You should know he's a criminal, an enemy of the Fire Nation. But you shouldn't be afraid; I'm certain justice will be brought down on him soon enough." Zhao straightened as he left the room. "You should know that my offer still stands, General Iroh, for you to join my mission."

Lan stuck her tongue out as Zhao closed the door behind him. "What a jerk." She blinked as Zuko suddenly released her hand. "Zuko, what's…?"

"Get out!" Zuko snapped. "Both of you, just get out!"

"Come on, Lan." Iroh said softly when he noticed the hurt look on Lan's face. "Zuko is upset right now. Let's leave him be for now."

Lan sniffled as her and Iroh walked out of Zuko's room and down the hall. "Stupid Zhao, he ruins everything. We were all finally getting along and now he's taking everyone away…"

Iroh knelt down and hugged his distraught granddaughter. "It'll be okay, Lan. The three of us will still be together. We'll be all right."

* * *

"You keep Prince Zuko in line, Princess Lan." Lieutenant Jee said with a sad smile on his face as he ruffled Lan's hair.

Lan brushed tears from her eyes and nodded. "You all have to be careful, okay? Don't get hurt." She waved goodbye to the crew as they disappeared into the darkness with Zhao's men. She turned to go back onto the ship when Iroh walked down the plank. "Where's Zuko?"

"He's still very upset." Iroh sighed. "Why don't we go for a walk, Lan. It's a beautiful night."

Lan smiled halfheartedly as Iroh took her hand and led her away from the ship. The two walked in silence for a while, enjoying the cool night breeze and the sound of nature around them. After a while, Lan looked up at her grandfather. "We should go back. Zuko's probably really lonely right now."

Before Iroh could respond, a loud explosion sounded from behind them. Iroh spun around and his eyes widened in horror when he saw the ship exploding. "No…Lan, wait!"

Lan was already running full speed down the path. Her vision was blurred by her tears. "Please be okay. Please be okay." She repeated over and over. She stopped short of the dock and looked around at all the floating debris. "Zuko?" Her lower lip trembled. "Zuko?"

"Lan, no!" Iroh caught his granddaughter before she could jump into the water. "Lan, he's gone."

"Zuko…no…" The tears fell from Lan's eyes as she feebly attempted to escape Iroh's grasp. "Zuko!"

* * *

"I'm so glad that the two of you decided to join me." Iroh smiled at the two from across the table. His face sobered up when he saw the glare Lan sent him. "Of course, I'm devastated to hear about what happened to Prince Zuko."

Lan clutched the cup of tea in her hand tightly. She stood up abruptly from the table and stormed out of the room. She ran through the halls, not really sure where she was going on the large ship. She finally stopped and rested against a wall before sliding down. She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in her knees. "Zuko." She began to cry again, alone in the hallway.

She let out a choked sob when she felt a warm hand on her head. She looked up, expecting to see Iroh. She was rather surprised to find a Fire Nation soldier standing over her. She couldn't see his face due to his mask but she could feel his eyes staring intently at her. She brushed the tears from her eyes. "Hello. Who are you?"

The Fire Nation soldier said nothing to her. He removed his hand from her head and held it out to her. He waited patiently for Lan to take it. When she did, he hoisted her off the ground and into his arms.

Lan stiffened for a moment but relaxed as the Fire Nation soldier began to carry her away. "Are you going to throw me into the ocean?" She asked.

The soldier shook his head and continued walking.

"Can you talk?" She asked. When the soldier nodded, she frowned. "So, why won't you talk to me?"

The soldier paused briefly to open a door.

Lan realized it was her new room. She frowned again as the soldier put her on the bed. "I'm not tired."

The soldier ignored her and tucked her into the bed. He held a finger up to tell her to be silent. He sat beside her and stroked her hair.

Lan was rather surprised with herself at how she was allowing this stranger to touch her so familiarly. Something about him was rather familiar though. She hadn't even realized how tired she was until she yawned. She looked sleepily at the soldier. "My cousin Zuko used to do that when I wouldn't go to sleep." She said softly as the soldier continued stroking her hair. More tears fell unbidden from her eyes as her eyes drifted shut. "I miss him."

The soldier allowed her to curl up against him and cry until she fell asleep. Once he was sure she was sound asleep, the soldier removed his mask.

Zuko stared down at Lan as he tucked her back into bed. His face was badly bruised from the explosion. "I'm sorry, Lan." He said softly as he brushed the tears from her eyes. "Please, bear with the pain for a little longer."

* * *

**So, it cracked me up because as I was writing the last seen, 'How Do I Live' by LeAnn Rimes came on. It was pretty amazing.**


	11. The Northern Water Tribe

**I'm so sorry I haven't updated the past few weeks. August is a rather crazy month for me with school starting, both Texas State and my school that I work at. On top of that, my sister and my wonderful cousin (who is like the big sister I never got) have their birthdays in August and it was my parents 25****th**** anniversary and I planned a surprise party for them. Updates should be more scheduled now but keep in mind that I do have a full course load which means lots of reading and studying so their may be some weeks where I don't update. Thank you for understanding!**

**Danielle the Grammar Nazi: Yay! I'm glad you like this one more :)**

**Sakura02: I have no idea…it's the thing Iroh's always playing…I think…**

**AvatarCat09: I'm sorry about your surgery :( I hope you feel better soon. Unfortunately, I didn't care much for the movie other than the special effects…**

**WereWolf299: Aw, but it's so much fun to start randomly crying and have people look at you like you're crazy XD**

**Hanizuka: Aw, I'm sorry :( Would it make you feel better to know that everything will turn out okay?**

**Thank you: cherry-888, sakura2112, and Graystar1 for your reviews!**

**I had one review with no name on it but to answer your question, Mystery Reviewer, no, Zhao didn't kill her father. Lan's father is Lu Ten, Iroh's son, who died in the siege on Ba Sing Se.**

* * *

Lan sighed as she looked around the large war ship. She couldn't find her grandfather anywhere. Whenever she asked one of the soldiers, they simply scoffed at her and shooed her away. "Grandpa, where are you?"

She jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder. Spinning around, Lan tilted her head when she came face to face with a soldier. "Oh, hello, No Name." Lan smiled warmly at the Fire Nation soldier. Ever since their first meeting, the quiet soldier would always pop up randomly, whether it was simply to listen to Lan chatter away or to tuck her in after a nightmare. On a few occasions, Lan had almost called him Zuko by mistake.

The soldier nodded to Lan before gesturing upward.

"Oh, is Iroh up there with Zhao?" Lan frowned when the soldier nodded. "Can you take me there? I don't know how to get to the deck."

The soldier nodded again, holding up a dark red cloak for Lan to wear. Zuko couldn't help but to smile beneath his mask as Lan struggled to clasp the cloak together. He knelt down to assist his little cousin in tying her cloak together. It pained Zuko to see how upset Lan was about his 'death'. He knew he couldn't say anything to her about it, though. Not yet anyways.

"Let's go, No Name." Lan grabbed the soldier's hand and dragged him up to the deck.

Zuko grew more and more nervous as they approached the deck. If Zhao found out he was on board…he breathed a sigh of relief as Lan released his hand as soon as they reached the deck.

"Grandpa!" Lan rushed over and attached herself to her grandfather's waist. She glowered up at Zhao before peering out over the ocean. In the distance, she could make out the faint outline of what she assumed to be the Northern Water tribe's gates.

"Ah, Princess Lan, how are you fairing today?" Zhao asked, a smirk on his face.

Lan glared up at him. "I was doing fine until I saw your monkey face." She yelped as Iroh firmly whacked her upside the head.

Zhao ignored Lan's comment as he stared out at the horizon. "You should feel honored, Princess. You will be able to see the great Northern Water tribe fall."

"Lan, why don't you go back to your room and play?" Iroh asked. "I'd rather her not see something so violent, Admiral. I'm sure you understand."

Lan opened her mouth to protest, but she was already being dragged away by the nameless soldier. She stumbled to keep up with his quick strides. The soldier led her through the twisting innards of the ship until they wound up outside her bedroom again. "Will you stay with me?" She asked the soldier.

The soldier remained still for a moment before nodding his head. He followed Lan into her room. He watched as Lan hopped up onto her bed and sat in the middle. He joined her when she patted the spot beside her.

"What do you want to play?" She asked the soldier. She frowned as he simply shrugged his shoulders. "You're no help." Her eyes suddenly lit up as she pulled a small case out from beneath her pillow. "My other flute got destroyed in the…accident." Lan said softly, flashing back to the explosion that had taken her cousin from her. "Grandpa Iroh made me a new one. Do you want me to play for you?" At the soldier's affirmative nod, Lan began playing the flute.

Zuko rested his back against the steel wall behind him and closed his eyes as he listened to Lan play. He never thought he would miss the sound of Lan playing her flute. He opened his eyes when the melody of the flute ended and was replaced with the sound of sniffling. He sighed when he saw Lan was once again crying.

"I'm sorry." Lan sniffed out. "That's the song I used to play for Zuko when he was upset. I just…I want Zuko back…" She blinked back her tears as the soldier wrapped her in his arms. She was ashamed of herself. She never cried like this in front of anyone but Iroh or Zuko. She couldn't help it though and the tears once again fell. "Zuko!" She wailed.

Zuko flinched each time Lan called out for him and his arms tightened around her. He held her and smoothed her hair down through the initial siege on the Northern Water Tribe and long after it had stopped. He held her until she fell asleep and tucked her in. He pulled his mask off and watched his little cousin's breathing even out. "Just a little longer, Lan. I'll capture the Avatar, and we'll all go home. You, me, and Uncle."

* * *

Lan wasn't sure how long she'd been asleep when she sat up in her bed. Quietly, Lan slipped out of her bed and pulled her cloak from earlier on. She poked her head out the door and saw that no one was there. Tiptoeing out of the room, Lan decided to go find her grandfather.

She rounded a corner in time to see Iroh walking away rather quickly. Lan almost called out to him, but something stopped her. Instead, she followed quietly along behind him to see where he was going. She saw him slip through a door and heard him speaking to someone. She pressed her hear to the door to try and hear who it was he was talking to. Her heart clenched painfully as a familiar, and much missed voice floated to her through the door. It couldn't be though…

Zuko's head snapped up when he heard the door open. He barely had time to steel himself before Lan launched herself at him. "Lan, you should be asleep!" He hissed, though he held the now sobbing child.

"It was you!" Lan whimpered through her tears as she buried her face in Zuko's stomach. "You were the soldier! Why didn't you tell me you were alive?" She looked accusingly between Zuko and Iroh.

"I wanted to." Zuko said softly, averting Lan's attention back to him. "I was just worried that if I told you, you wouldn't be able to keep your big mouth shut."

Lan's tears immediately vanished and she puffed her cheeks out indignantly. "I wouldn't have told anyone! You're just a meanie butt, Zuko!"

Iroh couldn't help but to smile. It was good to see Lan returning to her usual self. "Lan, you need to let Zuko go now."

"Why?" Lan asked, her grip on Zuko tightening. "Where are you going?"

Zuko sighed. "I'm going to go capture the Avatar. No, you can't come."

Lan ignored Zuko and hopped into the canoe he had prepared to lower into the ocean. "I don't care what you say. I'm going with you."

Zuko groaned in frustration. "No, Lan, you aren't. I can't be constantly worried about you. You stay here with Uncle, where it's safe."

"No, Zuko, I am going." Lan snapped, glaring angrily at her cousin. "I'm not going to stay here and worry about whether or not you're going to come back this time or not. If you don't let me go with you, I'll tell Zhao that you're here."

All three of them knew that it was an empty threat. Lan would never betray her cousin to anyone, especially not Zhao. Zuko sighed as he climbed into the boat with a triumphant looking Lan. "Stay close to me." He said as he began to lower the boat into the water.

Iroh peered over the edge, worry etched on his face. "Please be careful, both of you. Remember your Breath of Fire! It could save your life."

Lan smiled up at her grandfather. "We will, Grandpa."

"Keep your hoods up." He added. "It'll keep your ears warm."

"We'll be fine, Uncle." Zuko reassured as the little boat finally hit the water. "I won't let anything happen to her." To emphasis his point, Zuko yanked the hood of Lan's cloak over her head. As he paddled the little boat towards the distant gates, he frowned at Lan's bright red clothing. "Couldn't you have worn something a little more inconspicuous?"

"Well, I didn't know we'd be getting off the boat." Lan huffed out. She blinked as Zuko put another cloak over her shoulders. This one was much larger and a grey that matched the snow and ice around them. It covered all of Lan's body, including her bright red clothing.

"I don't think I'll be needing that one so you wear it." Zuko said firmly. "Stay quiet now." He whispered as their tiny boat floated just beneath the sentries atop the damaged gate.

Lan slouched down low in the boat, making sure to keep the cloak tight around her body. She looked up when she felt the boat bump into land. She scrambled out while Zuko surveyed the area. Her eyes lit up when she saw a bunch of turtle seals. She'd only seen them ever in pictures.

Zuko, ignoring his cousin following one of the seals around, observed the other seals that were diving into the icy cold water. "They must be coming up for air somewhere. Lan, this isn't the time to play. I want you to stay here with the boat."

Lan immediately stopped chasing the turtle seal pups around and frowned. "No way. I'm going with you." She followed Zuko over to the edge of the land and stared down at the black water. Just looking at it made Lan shudder. She steeled her resolve and leapt in at the same time as Zuko.

The ice cold water knocked the breath out of Lan. She quickly resurfaced and gulped in the chilly air.

"Lan, stay here." Zuko said, coming back up once he had realized Lan was not behind him.

"No." Lan chattered out. "It just caught me off guard. I'm ready now." She took a deep breath and dove back under the water. Cautiously, Lan opened her eyes only to find Zuko floating just in front of her.

Zuko motioned for Lan to follow him and led the way through the underground water tunnel. He wasn't sure how long they'd been down there but he could feel his lungs burning, screaming for air. He looked over his shoulder to see how Lan was doing only to find her struggling to hold her breath in. He quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her along. He could see a break in the water just a ways ahead. _Just a little further._ He said in his mind, hoping Lan would somehow understand as he squeezed her hand.

Lan's vision was beginning to tunnel. There was no way she was going to survive. No way…she gasped as Zuko yanked her from the water and into the underground cave. Lan laid on her back drawing in deep breaths until her lungs were filled. She was suddenly very cold. Remembering her grandfather's advice, Lan breathed fire into her hands to warm herself up.

"There's no going back now." Zuko said softly as he helped his cousin up. "I should've just made you stay with Uncle."

Lan managed to stick her tongue out at Zuko despite her still chattering teeth. "You think I would've listened to you? I told you; I'm not going to lose you again. It hurt too much…"

Zuko sighed and took Lan's hand in his. "It shouldn't be much further." He warmed the palm of his hand that was holding Lan's to try and heat her tiny freezing hands.

"Zuko, are we doing the right thing?" Lan asked softly as they went through an upward inclined tunnel.

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked, not tearing his eyes from the tunnel ahead.

"Capturing Aang." Lan said, ignoring how Zuko tensed when she spoke the Avatar's name so familiarly. "He's supposed to bring peace and balance back to the world, right? Why does Uncle Ozai want to stop him?"

Zuko didn't pause in his quick pace but he remained silent. He was grateful when they came across another pool of water. "Looks like we're diving again. You ready?"

Lan shuddered but nodded her head. "Promise after this we won't go swimming for a long time?"

Zuko chuckled warily. "I promise." Keeping Lan's hand in his, Zuko leapt into the water.

Lan kept a tight grip on Zuko's hand as they swam through the water. They managed to find another air pocket much sooner than last time before continuing on. They had been swimming for a while when Lan saw what looked like a break in the ice. She tugged on Zuko's hand, her lungs once again burning for air.

Zuko swam towards the exit, only to find it was just lightly colored ice. He was running out of air fast which meant Lan was much worse off than him. He placed his hands on the ice and heated them. It wasn't enough, though. He wouldn't be able to get through in time…

Lan placed her hands on the ice as well and heated them, desperate to get out of the freezing cold water. After a few seconds that stretched on for eternity, the ice finally melted away and Lan felt Zuko hoist her onto the frozen land. "I hate water." Lan panted out as soon as she had caught her breath.

Zuko couldn't help but to chuckle. After a few moments, he stood up and pulled Lan up. "Let's go."

The two slipped quietly through the city. Nobody paid much attention to them since they were all so focused on reinforcing their defensives against the attack that was sure to come at dawn. Lan couldn't help but to be in awe of how beautiful the ice city was. She was so focused on staring at the buildings that she didn't notice that she and Zuko had suddenly entered a rather secluded area of the city.

The first thing Lan noticed was that the air was much warmer in this area. She sighed happily as the warm breeze caressed her, carrying cherry blossom petals from the cherry blossom tree in the center of the sanctuary. The next thing she noticed was the small patch of grassy land in front of a pool of water. Lan's heart sank when she saw whom was sitting on the land. "Aang…"

Katara's head snapped up from speaking to Yue at the quiet voice. Her eyes widened when at first she saw only Lan. "Lan, what are you doing here all by yourself?"

"Oh, she's not alone." Zuko said as he stepped forward, smirking at the horrified look on Katara's face. "Hand him over now and I won't have to hurt you."

Lan flinched as Katara assumed a battle stance while Yue ran off. While Zuko and Katara fought, Lan slipped over to Aang. She sat in front of the still Avatar. "Aang, what am I supposed to do?"

She looked up when she heard Zuko grunt in pain. Her eyes widened when she saw that Katara had managed to freeze Zuko against the wall of the sanctuary. She slouched down as Katara approached her with an angry look.

"Lan, whose side are you on?" Katara snapped. "I know he's your cousin but you know what he's doing is wrong! You're really going to help him hurt Aang?"

"I…" Lan bit her lip and lowered her head. She blinked as the sun slowly rose into the sky. She hadn't realized just how long it had taken her and Zuko to infiltrate the city.

"Lan knows where her loyalties lie." Zuko said as the sun hit him and he melted the ice with steam. While Katara was still trying to turn around to launch an attack at Zuko, he fired a huge blast of fire at Katara, knocking her into the tree and rendering her unconscious. He walked over and hoisted Aang up onto his back. "Let's go, Lan."

Lan stood up, but remained rooted to her spot. She looked between Zuko whom was already scaling the large wall of the sanctuary with Aang on his back and then over to Katara whom was unconscious.

"Let's go, Lan!" Zuko shouted over his shoulder.

Lan snapped from her stupor. "I'm coming!" She looked back at Katara and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Katara. I know what Zuko is doing is wrong, but I…I'll do whatever it takes to make him happy, even if it means condemning the whole world." She spun on her heels and rushed after her cousin.


	12. Battle at the Northern Water Tribe

**Sakura02: Lol, you're just mad 'cause she yelled at Zuko…which is perfectly acceptable to be mad about :)**

**AvatarCat09: Everyone has different opinions on things like movies. What one person may find amazing, another may not. It's all a matter of opinion.**

**Thanks: Jokegirl, burry and bunny, lovelyanimeangel, Graystar1, and Danielle Maddie for your reviews**

* * *

"Zuko, I'm cold." Lan called softly. She stared at Zuko's back as the banished Fire Prince stared out of the small cave and into the raging blizzard. "Can we go home?"

"No, Lan, we can't." Zuko hissed out. He slammed his fist against the side of the cave angrily. "I finally have the Avatar and this blizzard is stopping me from getting him home. There's always something that goes wrong!"

Lan flinched, pulling her knees up closer to her chest. "You sound like Azula when you yell like that. I don't like it."

"I'm nothing like her." Zuko said, his voice softer. "If I were, we'd have the Avatar on our ship by now and we'd be heading home. She was born lucky, that's what my father says. He told me I was lucky to be born."

Lan frowned, standing up and going over to Zuko. She hugged him tightly. "You don't need luck, Zuko."

Zuko almost smiled. "I know. I don't want it. Having to struggle for everything, it's made me stronger. It's made me who I am."

Lan smiled up at Zuko and pulled him back away from the mouth of the cave. She tugged him down to the floor to sit by her. She snuggled up against his side and closed her eyes, the warmth from Zuko calming her. "I'm sleepy, Zuko."

Zuko wrapped his arm around Lan. "You can rest for now. I'll wake you up when it's time to go."

Lan wasn't sure how long she had been dozing. She was rather rudely awakened when Zuko suddenly stood up, causing her to fall to the ground. She sat up and looked around. "What? Where am I? Is it dinner yet?"

"Hey, Lan." Aang smiled briefly over at the little girl before glaring at Zuko. Taking a deep breath, Aang blew Zuko into a wall of the cave before hopping out of the cave. "Sorry I can't stay and talk longer."

Lan flinched, lingering at the mouth of the cave watching as Aang tried to escape caterpillar style. "Please don't hurt him." Lan muttered to Zuko as the furious fire bender stormed after Aang. She blinked and looked up when she heard a familiar growl. "Appa!"

She watched as Katara hopped off of Appa's saddle, facing off against Zuko. "Be careful, Zuko!" She winced as Katara easily managed to defeat Zuko. "Zuko!" She rushed out of the cave and over to the fallen Zuko. She blinked back tears when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Aang smiled almost apologetically down at Lan. "Come on. You can't stay here. You'll freeze to death."

Lan shook her head. "I'm not leaving Zuko."

"You won't have to." Aang hoisted Zuko up onto his shoulder, grinning down at Lan. "Come on."

"Thank you, Aang." Lan wiped the tears from her eyes. She followed Aang onto Appa's saddle, ignoring the frown Katara threw her.

"That's great." Sokka muttered. "Let's bring the guy that's always trying to kill us and the evil fire bending kid along." He yelped as Lan kicked him in the back.

"I'm not evil!" She shouted. She blinked when she heard someone giggling. She looked over a white haired girl she didn't recognize. "Hello, I'm Lan. Who're you?"

The girl smiled at Lan. "I'm Princess Yue. You seem like a sweet girl, considering the fact you're a Fire Bender."

Lan smiled warmly at Yue. "And you seem very nice and nonjudgmental, unlike other Water Benders I've met."

Aang burst into laughter while Katara and Sokka turned scarlet. His laughter faded as the sky suddenly turned a dark red. He whipped around when he heard Yue cry out in pain.

"What's wrong, Yue?" Lan asked in alarm, placing a hand on Yue's shoulder.

Yue shook her head. "Something's wrong."

Aang nodded. "I feel it too. Something's happened to the Moon Spirit."

Lan frowned, feeling an odd tingling at the back of her head. She had never had the feeling before and it bothered her.

Yue looked sadly up at the blood red moon. "I owe the Moon Spirit my life. When I was born, I was very weak and sick. Most babies cry when they are born, but not me. I was completely silent. The healers couldn't do anything for me; they said I was going to die. My father pleaded with the Moon Spirit to save me. The night of the full moon, my parents took me to the oasis and placed me in the water. My hair turned white and I opened my eyes and cried. That's why my mother named me Yue, after the moon."

"Wow." Lan breathed. "Your Mom and Dad must've really loved you to try so hard and save you."

Yue smiled at Lan. "I'm sure your parents would do the same for you."

Lan shrugged. "I wouldn't know. They're both dead. My dad died in a war and my mom died giving birth to me. Iroh and Zuko are all I've got."

"You poor child." Sokka chuckled at his own joke before yelping when Lan once again kicked him.

"It's probably Zhao's fault." Lan muttered, sitting beside Zuko's unconscious form. "The reason the sky is all red, I mean. I heard him talking to Grandpa about how he had a big plan on how to defeat the Water Benders. You guys get your power from the moon, right? Like how we Fire Benders get our power from the sun. I swear if you say something about me being an evil kid again, I'll burn off that stupid ponytail of yours."

Sokka immediately closed his mouth.

"There he is!" Lan shouted, pointing over the edge of Appa's saddle to the oasis where they could see Zhao with a bag raised in his hand. "What's with the bag?"

"He's got the Moon Spirit in there!" Aang said, leaping from Appa.

Katara looked over at Lan as Appa circled down to land. "I'm sorry, Lan. I shouldn't have yelled at you earlier. You can't pick and choose who your family is."

Lan opened her mouth to respond when Appa landed. She hopped off after Sokka, Katara, and Yue. She glared over at Zhao. "Don't do something stupid, Zhao."

"So, you really are a little traitor." Zhao sneered at the little girl. He raised a knife to the bag. "It doesn't matter. It is my destiny to destroy the moon and the Water Tribe."

Lan covered her eyes, not wishing to see the end of the balance her grandfather always told her was so important. She dared to peek through her fingers when she heard a familiar voice shout at Zhao. "Grandpa!"

Zhao glanced over, a bored look on his face. "Well, I suppose her treachery would have to come from somewhere."

"I am no traitor, nor is my granddaughter." Iroh said. "It is not only the Water Benders that need the moon, but the Fire Nation and all other nations. We all depend on the balance it brings." His eyes narrowed as Zhao brought the knife back up to the wriggling bag. "Whatever you do to that spirit, I will give back to you ten-fold! Let it go now!"

Lan flinched and scooted behind Yue instinctively. "Grandpa is scary when he's angry…"

Zhao stared at Iroh for a moment and then back to the bag. Reluctantly, he released the fish back into the oasis, the red light disappearing. Suddenly, his face contorted with rage and he sent a blast of fire into the oasis.

"No!" Lan wasn't sure who all had screamed, but she knew it was more than one person. While Iroh chased after Zhao, Lan rushed over to the edge of the pond. Her heart clenched at the sight of the black fish swimming frantically around the white fish that floated on it's side, a horrible burn the sign of what had killed it. Gently, Lan, reached into the water and scooped the white fish up, cradling it to her chest. "Aang, can't you do something? You're the Avatar. You can fix him, can't you?"

Aang clenched his fist at his side before kneeling next to Lan. "I'm sorry. I can't bring him back."

Lan sniffled as she looked down. "But…but the fishy…"

Yue herself looked as though she would cry as she knelt beside Lan as well. "There's no hope now. It's over." She was so distraught, Sokka placing his hand on her shoulder didn't even seem to comfort her.

Lan blinked as Aang's tattoos suddenly began to glow as the Avatar stepped out onto the pond. "What's wrong with Aang?"

"It's not over yet." Aang said, though it was not his voice. He stood in the middle of the pond, staring at the remaining spirit before he suddenly disappeared beneath the water.

"Aang!" Lan cried in alarm. She stood up to go after him, but Iroh placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.

The water suddenly began glowing, the glow spreading from the pond to all the connecting water ways in the Water Tribe city. What seemed at first to be a small wave began rolling from the pond and into the city. A moment later, a giant fish like creature made completely of water emerged, Aang in a bubble inside the creature.

"That's a really big fish." Lan murmured in awe. She looked at Yue. "That's the Ocean Spirit, isn't it?"

Yue tore her eyes from the creature. "Yes. How'd you know?"

Lan shrugged. "I dunno." She glanced over and saw Zuko slipping off of Appa's saddle and into the city. She bit her lip to keep from saying anything, hoping that Sokka and the others hadn't noticed. She looked sadly down at the dead spirit still in her arms. "What're we going to do? If the moon is gone, that's going to mess up the whole world, isn't it?"

Katara nodded forlornly, sitting beside Lan and hugging the clearly upset girl. "It's too late. There's nothing we can do now."

Iroh stared at his upset granddaughter and then glanced over to Yue. His eyes suddenly widened when he noticed Yue's white hair. "You've been touched by the moon spirit. Some of its life is in you."

Yue was silent for a moment before nodding. "Yes. It gave me life when I was a baby. Maybe…maybe I can give it back."

Lan frowned as Sokka began shouting angrily. She looked over to Katara who looked rather upset. "What'll happen if she gives the life back?"

Katara simply shook her head at Lan. "Lan, the only reason Yue is alive is because of the moon spirit's life energy inside her. If she gives it back…"

Lan's eyes widened as Yue crouched in front of her. She clutched the moon spirit tighter to her. "You can't die! That'll upset Sokka and everyone in your city!"

Yue smiled sadly at Lan, placing an almost affectionate hand on her head. "You are a princess too, aren't you, Lan?" When the little girl nodded, Yue continued. "As a princess, you have to do what's best for your people, even if it means sacrificing your own happiness and yourself. That is our duty and our burden. Do you understand?"

Lan nodded slowly. "I'm sorry." She sniffled out as Yue placed her hand on the moon spirit. "I'm sorry that my people are hurting yours. I promise I'll make it stop. I'll make the fighting stop."

Yue smiled and took a deep breath. "Thank you." She glanced over as Sokka kneeled beside her. She smiled sadly at him. "You be nice to Lan. She's a good girl, despite what you think." She closed her eyes, took one last deep breath as the fish began to glow, and then collapsed into Sokka's arms.

Sokka gently placed his hand on her cheek, looking forlornly away. "She's gone…"

Lan sniffled. She gasped as the fish suddenly began wriggling in her arms at the same time that Yue's body disappeared. Gently, Lan placed the fish back into the pond. She stepped back towards Iroh as the pond began to glow and Yue appeared, though now she was almost transparent, and dressed all in white. "What happened to her?" Lan whispered.

Iroh smiled and knelt beside his granddaughter. "She is the moon spirit now." He said softly as they watched Yue and Sokka's final goodbye.

After Yue had disappeared, the group was silent. The sounds of battle could be heard and Lan knew that Aang was winning, despite the fact that she couldn't see the fight. She looked up at Iroh and grabbed his hand. "We have to find Zuko and get out of here."

Sokka's eyes narrowed. "You think we're going to let you just leave?"

"Sokka, they tried to help us." Katara said softly. "Maybe…maybe just this one time we could let them go. Besides, it's almost morning now and we're going to need to make sure Aang is okay."

Sokka was about to argue when he suddenly felt a weight attached to him. He looked down and was surprised to find Lan hugging him.

"I'm sorry." Lan whispered. "I'm sorry." She repeated. She said the words over and over, hugging Sokka the whole time.

Sokka looked over at Katara, receiving only a pointed look in response. He sighed and placed a gloved hand on her head. "It's okay. You're not really evil…for a Fire Nation kid. You better get out of here before people come looking for us."

Lan nodded. She released Sokka and went over to Katara, giving the Water Bender a brief hug. "Tell Aang I said bye."

"I'm sure we'll see you soon enough." Katara teased.

Iroh patiently waited for his granddaughter. He held his hand out to her and as soon as she took it, they were rushing off to find Zuko.

It didn't take long to find him. Zuko was already making his way back to them, a troubled look on his face. He was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't see Lan running towards him until it was too late. He grunted as Lan tackled him to the ground. "We need to leave, Uncle." He said to Iroh.

Iroh was slightly taken aback but he nodded his head. "Where is Zhao?"

Zuko stood up, taking Lan's hand and tugging her towards the ocean. "He didn't make it."

They slipped silently and stealthily through the city, avoiding lingering patrols. Finally, they reached the shore and made a quick raft from the debris floating about in the water. Dawn peeked over the horizon as they set off.

Iroh looked down and couldn't help but to smile when he saw Lan curled up beside a sitting Zuko, the little girl's eyes drooping closed. "I'm surprised you aren't trying to capture the Avatar."

Zuko simply closed his eyes. "I'm tired, Uncle."

"Then you should rest. A man needs his rest." Iroh said softly, looking out onto the horizon.

Lan forced her eyes open as Zuko laid down beside her. She reached out and hugged him, burying her face in his chest. "Can we take a break from chasing Aang for a while? I'm really tired."

Zuko almost smiled as Lan nodded off to sleep. "Sure, Lan."

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**We're done with Book One of Avatar! Next update will begin Book 2!**


	13. Azula

**October is always a rather hectic month for me. There's Halloween to prepare for, midterms, registering for classes for the spring, and for some reason a plethora of babysitting jobs. I'm trying to get back on track so hopefully updates will be a bit more regular.**

**Sakura02: I wonder if that's why the review count was so low for this chapter :( but yes, Lan get's a haircut in this chapter and she's not happy about it XD.**

**Thanks: AvatarCat09, Gwevin305, and Hannah for reviewing!**

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"Zuko, look at the pretty cherry blossoms I found!" Lan giggled as she ran over to Zuko whom was slouched against the wall of an open courtyard, her cupped hands brimming with beautiful pink cherry blossoms. Her smile faded as Zuko only gave her a sparing glance. "Zuko?"

"Ah, it's the anniversary, isn't it." Iroh said as he came over to sit by Zuko.

"What anniversary?" Lan asked. "It's not your birthday, Zuko." She flinched at the wicked glare Zuko gave her.

"Three years ago, I was banished by my father. I lost everything…" Zuko sighed dejectedly.

Lan frowned before sitting beside Zuko. She snuggled against his side. "You didn't lose everything; you've got me and Grandfather. Are we not enough?"

"You don't understand." Zuko hissed. "I want it all back; I want the Avatar, I want my throne, and I want my honor. I want my father to not think of me as a worthless fool."

Iroh laughed good naturedly. "I'm sure he doesn't! He wouldn't banish you if he didn't care!"

Lan glared at her grandfather as Zuko suddenly stormed off. "That was a dumb thing to say, Grandfather." She stood up, dropping the cherry blossoms on the ground before she ran after her cousin. "Wait, Zuko!"

Zuko paused and allowed Lan to catch up to him. "I don't want to talk right now, Lan."

"We don't have to talk." Lan said as she took Zuko's hand. "Let's just walk on the beach. We can look for seashells."

Zuko sighed, seeing the determination in Lan's eyes. He allowed his little cousin to drag him around the beach, picking up a few seashells along the way. After a few hours, Lan and Zuko silently stopped and began building a sand castle together. "Thank you, Lan." Zuko said softly.

"For what?" Lan asked, not looking up from her task of fortifying the castle walls with seashells.

"Nothing." Zuko said after a moment.

Lan frowned, wiping her hand across her forehead. "Then why did you say thank you? If I didn't do anything, you shouldn't thank me."

Zuko chuckled, wiping the wet sand from Lan's forehead. "Come on. I'm sure Uncle is wondering where we are." Zuko led the way back to the little house they were staying in where Iroh was waiting with dinner at the table.

Dinner was a silent affair with no one saying much. They all silently went to bed afterwards. Lan lay curled up on her small bed, listening to Iroh's snoring and Zuko's even breathing. Silently, she slipped from her bed and went over to Zuko's bedside. She kissed his cheek before going over to Iroh and repeating the action. She tiptoed outside, descending the stairs that led to the beach.

"Yue," she called softly as she looked up at the bright moon in the sky. She dug her bare feet into the cool sand and sighed softly. "I've been feeling weird ever since we left the Northern Water Tribe. It feels like there's something in my head, whispering to me. I don't like it. I want to tell Grandfather and Zuko but I'm scared. What should I do?" She stared up at the moon, sighing when she received no answer.

"Lan, what are you doing out here?" Zuko yawned as he came to stand beside Lan.

Lan smiled brightly up at him. "Nothing. I just couldn't sleep." She took Zuko's hand and led him back to the little house. "Zuko, can you tuck me in?" Lan asked softly.

Zuko frowned, nodding. "Sure." He tucked Lan into her little bed and smoothed her hair down. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine." Lan reassured. "Don't worry about me, Zuko." She yawned, her eyelids drooping shut. She dreamed of strange creatures in another world that night.

* * *

"Lan, stop running! You're kicking sand everywhere!" Zuko shouted as he chased Lan back towards the little house, Iroh laughing as he trailed behind them. The day was pleasant with a light breeze keeping the temperature cool.

Lan laughed as she ran all the way up the stairs into the little house. "I beat you, Zuko! Now you have to be my slave for the rest of the day!"

"I never agreed to that!" Zuko snapped.

"Look at all these wonderful shells I've brought back." Iroh hummed happily to himself as he dumped a bag full of shells onto the table closest to the door.

Zuko groaned in frustration. "We don't need anymore useless things, Uncle. Don't forget, we have to carry everything by ourselves now."

"Yeah." Lan chimed in. "You've got a bunch of shells over…there…" Her voice trailed off as she looked over at the far table where someone very familiar and unwelcome was sitting. Lan's gaze hardened. "What are you doing here, Azula?" She hissed.

"Hello to you too, Cousin. Brother. Uncle." Azula sneered.

Instinctively, Zuko moved so he was between Lan and Azula. "What are you doing here?" He repeated Lan's question, glaring at his little sister suspiciously.

Azula picked up a seashell before strolling casually over to the three. "You know, in my country, we exchange a nice 'hello' before asking someone questions. Have these three years from home made you so uncivilized, ZuZu?"

"Don't call him that!" Lan shouted, coming around from behind Zuko. She would've lunged at Azula if it wasn't for Iroh coming up to hold her back. "He doesn't like that name and you know it, Azula!"

"To what do we owe this honor, Azula?" Iroh interrupted his granddaughter before she could continue on her tirade.

Azula stared down at the seashell in her hand. "It must be a family trait; the three of you are so quick to get to the point." She crushed the seashell before looking back up. "I've come with a message from home. Father has changed his mind, Zuko. Family is suddenly very important to him. There are rumors of a treacherous plot against him and the only ones he can really trust are family. He regrets banishing you, you know." She said softly. "He wants you home."

Lan glared at her female cousin, not believing a word the spilled from her lips. Though she had only been four the last time she saw Azula, she remembered said female was not one to be trusted and had caused both Zuko and herself much distress. She frowned when Zuko said nothing. "Zuko?"

Azula glared at her brother. "Didn't you hear me? You should be happy, excited, grateful. I just gave you great news."

Iroh intervened again. "I think your brother may need a moment to…"

"Be silent, Uncle!" She glared over at Zuko. "I still haven't heard my thank you. I'm not a messenger, you know. I didn't have to come all this way."

"Then go home." Lan hissed. She tensed when Azula glared over at her. She took a hesitant step back from Azula, hating her weakness.

Azula sighed as Zuko continued to blankly stare out the window. "I see you'll need some time to let this sink in. I'll call on you tomorrow then." She walked out of the house, bumping into Lan as she walked away.

The rest of the day went by in a strange rush for Lan. Zuko suddenly became very excited, packing nearly everything in sight. Lan sat on her bed, her knees pulled up to her chest as she watched her cousin. She hadn't seen him this happy in years. "I don't trust her." Lan said softly as night was beginning to fall.

"Don't be silly, Lan." Zuko said as he began packing Lan's clothes for her. "Father regrets banishing me. He's realized how important family is to him. He wants me home."

"I have never known my brother to regret anything." Iroh said thoughtfully.

Zuko glared over at his Uncle. "My father wants me home! He cares about me!"

"I care about you." Iroh corrected. "Lan cares about you, practically idolizes you. If my brother wants you home…well…it may not be for the reasons you are hoping."

Zuko's glare intensified. "You don't know how my father feels about me! You don't know anything!"

Lan winced and curled up tighter. She hated when Zuko and Iroh fought. They had rarely fought when they were on the ship but the few times they had, it had not been pleasant. "Please don't fight, Zuko, Grandfather."

"I only meant that in our family, Zuko, things are not always what they seem." Iroh said softly, glancing over at Lan.

Zuko leaned close to Iroh and poked his chest. "I think you are exactly what you seem: a lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man how has always been jealous of his brother!" With that, Zuko turned on his heels and stormed out of the little house.

Lan looked between the door where Zuko had just departed and to where her Grandfather looked sadly at the floor. "Grandfather…" She sniffled.

"Oh, don't cry, Little One." Iroh cooed as he came over to Lan's bed. He held his granddaughter close. "Don't worry; we'll protect Zuko. Now, go to sleep. We've a busy day tomorrow." He tucked his granddaughter in and kissed her good night.

Lan wasn't sure how long she'd been sleeping when she felt a warm hand on her cheek. She blearily opened her eyes and almost immediately began crying again. "Zuko, don't be angry."

"I'm not angry with you, Lan." Zuko said softly, resting his forehead against Lan's. "You'll come with me tomorrow, won't you? Don't you want to go home?"

Lan chewed on her lip not sure what to say to her cousin. Really, she didn't care much for the Fire Nation. She had been four when they left and didn't remember much before that except for Iroh and Zuko always being there for her and Azula tormenting her. She hardly even remembered her Uncle Ozai, but she'd heard enough stories about him for her to be grateful of that. "Yeah, I'll go with you."

Zuko smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "Go back to sleep. We're leaving early in the morning."

Lan nodded, snuggling back into her bed. "Good night, Zuko." She fell back asleep, only to be awoken by an overexcited Zuko what felt like moments later.

"Come on, Lan." Zuko whispered, holding her bag out to her.

Lan yawned and stumbled around, getting dressed before taking the bag. She looked sadly over at where her grandfather was sleeping as she took Zuko's hand and let him lead her from the little house. She didn't trust Azula. Lan knew the wicked girl was up to something and Lan wasn't going to let Zuko get hurt by her. She'd protect her cousin no matter what.

Zuko paused on the steps, staring down at the Fire Nation ship docked in the bay. "I can't believe I'm finally getting to go home."

Lan squeezed his hand and smiled up at him, but said nothing. She looked behind her, hoping against hope Iroh would be there… "Grandfather!" She shouted excitedly.

"Wait for me!" Iroh shouted as he raced down the steps to his nephew and granddaughter.

Zuko's eyes lit up. "Uncle, you changed your mind!"

Iroh paused in front of the two, placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder and Lan's head. "Family sticks together, right?"

"We're finally going home." Zuko smiled as he began descending the steps.

Lan lingered beside her grandfather. "I'm sorry I left without you. I don't…"

"It's all right, Lan." Iroh patted her head before taking her hand and continuing down the stairs. "I know you're worried about him."

Lan stayed close to both Iroh and Zuko as they approached the ship. She looked nervously at the two lines of Fire Nation soldiers on either side of the incline leading up to the ship where Azula was standing. She didn't like it, not one bit.

Azula smiled brightly at them and bowing slightly "Uncle. Brother. Little Lan. I'm so glad you all decided to come."

Lan frowned as Iroh and Zuko bowed to Azula. She yelped as Iroh grabbed the back of her head and made her bow as well. She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw that the two lines of soldiers were closing in behind them.

"Set our course for home, Captain." Azula flashed a charming smile at the ship's captain.

Lan clutched tightly to Iroh's hand as they ascended the incline, the soldiers close behind them. She didn't like it. Everything in her body was screaming at her to run as far and fast as she could. She blinked when Iroh squeezed her hand. She looked up at her grandfather, but all he did was shake his head at her.

The captain nodded his head and turned to his crew. "You heard the princess. We're taking the prisoners…home…" his voice trailed off as Azula turned murderous eyes on him. "Your highness…I…"

The next few moments were a blur to Lan. Iroh attacked the soldiers closest to them while Zuko was on a war path towards Azula. She looked between the two before following after Zuko. She knew her grandfather was more than capable of taking care of himself. Zuko, on the other hand, was so intent on getting to Azula, he paid the two soldiers sneaking up on him no mind. Lan immediately punched a fire ball at one of them before spinning around and kicking a fire ball at the other one. "Don't touch my family!"

"Get out of here, Lan." Iroh snapped as he continued fighting the soldiers. "Go wait for me and Zuko. We'll catch up to you soon."

Lan frowned. Zuko was on the ship, fighting Azula, though Lan couldn't see what was going on. She gasped as Zuko suddenly came flying off the ship and onto the ground below. "Zuko!" Lan scrambled off the incline and down to where her cousin was shakily standing up. "Are you okay, Zuko?"

Zuko groaned as he looked around blearily. He looked up at the top of the incline where Azula was preparing to attack with lightning. "Lan, get out of here."

Lan shook her head, immediately standing in front of Zuko protectively, though she knew it would do no good. She couldn't stop lightning. Her eyes widened as the lightning appeared. Lan was certain she and Zuko were going to die when Iroh appeared, grabbing Azula's hand and redirecting the lightning so it hit the side of the cliff face. "Grandfather!"

Iroh glared at Azula before kicking her over the side and into the water. "Let's go!" He shouted, leading Zuko and Lan away from the ship.

They had been running for a while and Lan was growing tired. They were deep in the forest running beside a small stream. "Grandfather…"

Iroh brought them to a stop beside the stream. "I think we'll be safe here for now." He kneeled in front of the stream with Zuko and Lan on either side of him.

Lan blinked as Zuko brought out a small knife and Iroh nodded. "What're you going to do with that?" Her eyes widened as Zuko cut off his ponytail before handing the knife to Iroh whom cut off his top knot. When Iroh turned to Lan, she shook her head and held her long hair close to her. "No way! You aren't cutting my hair!"

"Lan, we have to look like refugees." Iroh explained gently. "There's no way you could pass for someone on the run with such pretty hair. It'll grow back, I promise."

"But, I like my hair." Lan muttered. She sighed when she saw Iroh looking at her patiently. She quickly pulled her hair into a ponytail and held her hand out for the knife. "I'll do it." She said softly. She held the knife in her hand at the base of her ponytail. She took a deep breath for doing one clean cut through her hair. She threw the ponytail into the water before feeling her now short hair. It was just below her ears now. "I look like a boy…"

All three of them stood up together, staring off into the distance. Lan grabbed Zuko's hand, seeing in her cousin's eyes just how upset he was. "It's okay, Zuko. You've got me and grandfather. Family sticks together, right?"

Zuko looked down at Lan and gave her a weak smile before squeezing her hand. "Right."


	14. Fugitives

**Ahhh! I've been gone forever! Finals are over now and it's Christmas Break so hopefully updates will be more frequent now! Also, this January, there will be two new baby stories! Look for them!**

**AvatarCat09: I did see the Guardians of Ga'hoole and I was pleasantly surprised. I'm going to start reading the series now because everyone told me the books were amazing.**

**Sakura02: She looks adorable no matter what :)**

**Thank you: burry and bunny, xXxScarletxXxSakuraxXx, and Moonlitdaze for reviewing**

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Lan sighed as she smoothed out the wrinkles in her dark green dress. She was still getting used to her rather short hair and kept touching it to confirm that her once long hair was no longer there. "Grandfather, stop messing with the plant. You don't know if it's poisonous or not."

Zuko snarled as he stormed through the brush. "I couldn't find any food. I can't do this! I wasn't meant to be on the run!" He kicked the ground in sheer anger.

"I found some berries." Lan said, offering up her small handful to Zuko. "They're pretty good"

Zuko frowned as he looked over at Iroh, then back at Lan. "What's he doing?"

"I don't know." Lan answered truthfully, popping another of the sweet berries into her mouth.

Iroh looked up at the two, a bright smile on his face. "This is the rare white dragon bush. It's leaves make tea that's so delicious, it's heartbreaking…or it's the white jade bush which is highly poisonous."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "We need food, not tea. Come on, Lan. We're going to go fishing."

"Don't you eat that plant, Grandfather." Lan chastised before rushing after Zuko through the forest. "Are you okay, Zuko?" She asked once she finally caught up to him.

"Do I look okay, Lan?" Zuko snapped. He sighed as Lan deflated and walked a few steps further from him. "Sorry. This is all just…very frustrating." He blinked as Lan grabbed his hand and gently squeezed it.

Lan smiled up at him as they reached a small stream. "It's okay, Zuko. We'll get through this."

Zuko managed a small smile. "Yeah…well, let's get to fishing."

Lan sat on a boulder and watched as Zuko made a rather crude spear. "Zuko, do you want me to help?"

"Just sit there and be quiet." Zuko hissed as stomped through the water trying to find fish.

Lan bit back a laugh as Zuko floundered around, trying to catch the fish. After a few hours, Zuko stumbled back to the shore with a rather pitiful looking fish wiggling on the end of his spear. "Do I need to go find more berries?" She teased as Zuko stomped back towards where they had left Iroh.

"Shut up." Zuko lightly smacked Lan on her bottom with the end of his spear.

Lan frowned as they came upon Iroh sitting on the ground with his back to them. "Grandfather, where's that plant…"

Zuko frowned as well. "Uncle…"

"Remember how I was telling the two of you that the plant might be tea or poisonous?" Iroh asked, his voice oddly muffled.

"You didn't." Zuko groaned.

Lan squealed and hid behind Zuko as Iroh turned around, revealing his red, swollen face. "Grandfather looks like a monster!"

Iroh attempted to grin as he scratched his face. "When the rash spreads to my throat, I'll stop breathing and die. Luckily, I found this bacui berries which can cure the poison of the white jade plant…or it's the macahoni berries which cause blindness."

Lan slapped the berries from Iroh's hands. "No! No more messing with plants you know nothing about!"

"Lan's right." Zuko said. "We need to get help."

Iroh sighed. "But, we can't possibly just waltz into an Earth Kingdom village. We're their enemies."

"But, we're fugitives from the Fire Nation." Lan mused.

Zuko nodded in agreement. "If we go to the Earth Kingdom, they'll kill us. If we go to the Fire Nation, they'll hand us over to Azula."

The three looked at each other for a moment before nodding. Lan marched forward. "To the Earth Kingdom!"

The trio walked for only about an hour before they came upon an Earth Kingdom village by the lake. "I'll go find a doctor." Lan said to the other two. "You two stay here and don't cause any trouble."

Lan ran through the village, asking anybody she could find for a doctor. She was finally directed to a small hospital where she saw a young woman helping a little boy with a bloody knee. Lan was tired. She was tired of being on the run as a fugitive, tired of Zuko being cranky, and Iroh being obsessed with tea. She couldn't help it; she began crying.

The girl whipped around and smiled consolingly. She knelt down and placed two hands gently on Lan's shoulders. "Now, what's wrong, poor thing? Did you get hurt?"

Lan shook her head. "My…my grandfather made the poison white jade plant into a tea and drank it…and now he has a really bad rash…and he's going to die…and…and…and I'm hungry!" She sobbed.

The girl continued smiling and led Lan into the hospital. She picked Lan up with ease and placed her on one of the small beds. "Where is your grandfather?"

Lan yawned and curled up on the soft bed. "They're waiting outside the village."

The girl nodded and tucked Lan in. "I'll go get them. I'm Song, by the way. What's your name?"

But Lan was already sound asleep.

* * *

"Hey, wake up."

Lan groaned as she slowly woke herself. She blinked up sleepily at Zuko. "What's wrong? Is Grandfather better, Zu…"

Zuko quickly placed a hand over Lan's mouth. "Don't say my real name. Call me Lee. Uncle is Mushi and you're Shu."

Lan raised an eyebrow as she sat up. "Seriously? You guys couldn't come up with better names?"

"Shut up." Zuko took Lan's hand and helped her hop off the bed. "Uncle is fine, by the way. We're going to Song's house for dinner." He smirked as Lan's stomach let out a loud rumble. "You hungry?"

Lan blushed. "Shut up."

Song smiled as Lan and Zuko met her and Iroh outside the hospital. "Did you have a good rest, Shu?" At Lan's shy nod, Song smiled wider. "Well, come on then. Mother will be angry if we're late."

Song led the group to the outskirts of the village and up to a fair sized house. "Mother, I've brought dinner guest."

Song's mother poked her head out the door and smiled. "Well, so you have. Come help me finish the duck. You three make yourselves comfortable."

The three sat themselves at a small table. Song brought out plates to sit at each spot while her mother brought out the duck. "Song says that you three are refugees. We were refugees once ourselves."

Lan happily munched on the delicious duck. She swore she had never tasted anything so good. "Really?"

Song nodded, smiling sadly. "When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village. They took all the men away, including my father…"

Zuko lowered his gaze to the plate in front of him. "I haven't seen my father in years." He whispered.

"Is he fighting in the war?" Song asked, genuinely curious.

"Yeah." Zuko said, his face falling.

The silence was almost unbearable. Lan put her chopsticks down, putting a bright smile on her face. "Well, my mommy and daddy are dead. I only have my grandfather and cousin."

Iroh sighed. "Shu, finish your duck."

Lan stuck her tongue out, but did as she was told. She frowned as Zuko stood up suddenly and stormed out of the house. She watched as Song followed him out. She blinked as Song's mother placed a steaming cup of tea in front of her. She smiled brightly at her. "Thank you."

Song's mother smiled and nodded. She reached across the table and patted Lan's head. "It must be very difficult, not having your mother and father."

"Nope." Lan grinned as she gulped down the tea. "My daddy died in the war and my mommy died giving birth to me. My grandfather and cousin are the only family I've ever known."

Song's mother smiled sadly. "Well, you take good care of them, okay?" She stood up and took the remaining duck back into the kitchen. "Will you all be staying the night?"

"No." Iroh answered. "We really must be going. Come along now, Shu."

Lan sighed and reluctantly stood up. "Okay."

Song's mother followed them outside, the duck wrapped up for them to take. "Have a safe journey."

Zuko stood up from beside Song and went over to the two. He took Lan's hand in his and squeezed it. He offered Song and her mother a small bow before turning on his heels and leaving.

"Bye, Song!" Lan shouted over her shoulder as Zuko dragged her away.

Song watched Zuko's retreating back. "I know you don't think there's much hope in the world, but there is! The Avatar has returned."

Lan flinched as Zuko tensed up. "Zuko…"

Zuko ignored her and kept walking. As they approached the gate, the war ostrich squawked from inside it's small stable. Zuko stared at it for a moment before going over and taking it out of its stable.

"Zuko, that's stealing." Lan hissed, looking around nervously.

"These people have shown us great kindness, Zuko." Iroh added, frowning disapprovingly at his nephew.

Seemingly unfazed, Zuko swung himself up onto the creature. "Well, they're about to show us a little more." He waited impatiently for Iroh to climb on. "Come on, Lan." He hissed as Lan wavered beside the creature.

"This isn't right, Zuko." Lan whispered forlornly. She reluctantly took Zuko's proffered hand and allowed him to swing her up in front of him. "Sorry." Lan whispered over her shoulder. She swore she saw the front door close and Song disappear behind it.


	15. Slowly Breaking

**Sakura02: Lol, yes, this was an actual episode. **

**BlackRosario: I promise you, I will not abandon or discontinue any of my stories. I may disappear for a month but I will always come back. I don't like leaving things unfinished. Yes, I love Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! I don't know if they'll be able to get a baby, though, as I now have twelve stories! And, yes, I do know Fullmetal Alchemist :). I just started their series a couple weeks ago. Chapter 2 will be up tomorrow**

**Thank you: AvatarCat11, burry and bunny, and Fenway for reviewing!**

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Lan looked around the Earth Kingdom town nervously. She hadn't meant to wander so far away from Iroh and Zuko. She swore she'd only gone around the corner from them to try and see if she could get coins from people by using her puppy eyes. She had gotten quite a bit and was now trying to make her way back Iroh and Zuko. She had turned the corner she thought she was supposed and found that they had either moved or she had misjudged just how far she wandered away. She clutched the tiny cloth bag that she had almost filled with her coins tightly and sniffled. She was lost. Lost in a place where if people knew who she was, they'd kill her. She began crying as she sat down in the dirt road.

"Oh, poor thing." A pretty young woman cooed. She knelt down in front of Lan and placed a gentle hand on her head. "What's wrong?"

Lan looked up, sniffling through her tears, her voice cracking as she spoke. "I…I lost my g-grandpa and cou-cousin."

The woman smiled reassuringly at Lan. "Where did you see them last?"

"T-They were si-sitting at the edge of a s-street, asking for coins. W-We're refugees." Lan managed to blubber out.

"Oh, it's all right, Dear." The woman pulled and handkerchief out and dabbed at Lan's face until her eyes dried up. She smiled and straightened up, taking Lan's hand in hers. "Let's go find your grandfather and cousin. What's your name, Sweetie?"

"La…Shu. My name is Shu." Lan quickly covered.

The woman simply smiled and began walking along the road with Lan. The two looked everywhere. Even the woman was beginning to grow worried when she saw two men sitting against a wall, asking for money. She smiled and squeezed Lan's hand. "Is that them?" The woman asked.

Lan looked up and her eyes lit up. "Grandfather! Lee!"

Zuko didn't have time to steal himself as Lan threw herself into his lap and hugged him tightly. "La…Shu! What are you doing? Where were you? You're getting my shirt wet!"

Lan continued crying into Zuko's shirt, ignoring him griping about his shirt. If he'd been really annoyed by it, he would have shoved her off. Instead, he wrapped one arm around her and patted her head. "I got lost…but look!" She held up her cloth bag proudly. "I got lots of coins!" She dumped them into the hat Iroh had been holding out.

Iroh beamed and ruffled Lan's hair. "What a good granddaughter I have." He looked up as the woman approached. "Thank you so much for finding her."

The woman smiled and reached into her sleeve to pull out a few bronze coins. "Here you are. Don't get lost anymore now, Shu."

Iroh grinned up at her. "The coins are greatly appreciated, but not as much as your smile."

Lan giggled while Zuko simply rolled his eyes. She waved goodbye to the woman as she walked off. "She was really nice." Lan said quietly. She winced as Zuko pinched her hand. "What was that for?"

Zuko glared at her for a moment before picking her up off his lap and putting her between him and Iroh. "Stay. Don't move."

Lan huffed and stuck her tongue out at him. She was about to tattle to Iroh when a man stopped in front of them. As soon as Lan saw him, she didn't like him. He looked mean, like Zhao. She hadn't liked Zhao and she didn't like this man. It seemed she wasn't alone in her sentiment as Zuko glared up at the man.

The man leered down at the three. "How about some entertainment? In exchange, I'll give you…" He paused dramatically as he pulled a coin out of his pocket. "one gold piece."

"We're not performers." Zuko grouched.

Iroh simply smiled. He patted Lan's head reassuringly before putting his hat down and standing up. "Well, not professionally anyway."

Lan sighed as her grandfather began singing. She really wished he would just stick to playing instruments. He was good at that. Singing was not his forte. Her eyes widened as the man pulled out his two swords. She was about to shout at him, but Zuko placed a arm out to stop her. She looked over at Zuko and almost cowered away. Furious didn't even begin to cover what she saw on her cousin's face. If looks could kill, that man would've been dead a thousand times over. Lan forgot her own anger and wrapped her arms around Zuko's and hugged his arm tightly to her chest.

Finally satisfied, the man laughed and put his swords away. "Nothing like watching a fat man dance for his dinner!" He tossed the gold coin into the hat and walked away. "Maybe next time you can dance for me, Little Girl."

Lan was really glad she had a hold of Zuko's arm as she felt her cousin tense up. She was sure he would have killed that man, witnesses or not.

Iroh simply smiled as he sat back down. "Such a kind man."

As the day began to fade into night, the three packed up and led their stolen war ostrich out of the town and into the forest where the three had set up camp in a small cave. Lan immediately curled up on her tiny pallet in the corner and went to sleep. She wasn't hungry at all. She could hear Zuko and Iroh talking, but couldn't make out the words as she drifted off to sleep.

She hadn't been sleeping for very long when she heard movement. "Zuko, where are you going?" She whispered.

Zuko tensed and slowly turned around. Lan was already up and standing a few feet from him. "Nowhere. Go back to sleep."

Lan frowned when she noticed the dark clothes Zuko was wearing. The only people she knew that wore really dark clothes and snuck out at night were bad people. They wore the dark clothes so they could do bad things without being seen. She reached out and grabbed Zuko's hand. "Where are you going?" She repeated.

Zuko knelt down and placed his free hand on Lan's cheek. He could see she was getting upset. He could also see that she was losing weight and that she wasn't getting enough sleep like she should. Her skin that had once been slightly tanned was now getting fairly pale, and not a nice pale either. It was the pale you saw on the poor that didn't have enough food. It was the pale of people that eventually died. He kissed her forehead before standing up and leading her back to her pallet. "Go back to sleep. I'll be back before you know it."

Lan tried to protest as Zuko tucked her back in, but she was still rather tired. As he stood up to leave, she grabbed his hand again. "Don't go…" She mumbled out as sleep claimed her again.

Zuko wavered for a moment before pulling his hand from Lan's and leaving the cave.


	16. Goodbye for Now

**Sakura02: They'll all eventually have a happy ending! But, yeah, I don't think Lan's going to have many happy chapters for a while…at least, not until they get to Ba Sing Se, **

**Thank you: BlackRosario, Shifuni, AvatarCat11, kaigirl16, hinatablueeyes708, and JesusFreak for reviewing!**

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Lan frowned as she looked at the silk green dress in front of her. Lately, Zuko would mysteriously disappear to go shopping and come back with rather expensive items and piles of food. Lan traced a finger on the gold thread that lined the ends of the sleeve of the dress. "Where'd you get this, Zuko?"

Zuko glanced at her over his shoulder from the spot where he was laying. "Why does it matter? You needed a new dress. The other one has holes all in it."

"But…we can't afford these things." Lan protested. "You brought Grandpa back that golden teapot too!" She pointed over to the teapot that was sitting in front of Iroh. "Zuko, have you been…" she bit her lip, not wishing to accuse her cousin of anything when she had no hard proof.

"Zuko," Iroh finally decided to intervene. He went over to Zuko and sat right behind the sulking prince. "I know we've been going through some rather hard times lately and that we've been struggling just to get by. Know this, though, Zuko," he placed a comforting hand on Zuko's shoulder. "there is no shame in our situation. There is a simple honor in poverty."

"There is no honor for me without the Avatar." Zuko sulked.

Lan pulled her knees up to her chest. "I don't think you capturing Aang is going to fix anything now. Not with what happened with Azula."

"Then there is no hope at all." Zuko abruptly sat up, shoving Iroh's hand off his shoulder and storming over to the entrance of the cave.

Alarmed, Iroh followed after his nephew. "Do not think like that, Zuko! If you allow yourself to give into despair, you will slip down a road that leads to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, you must give yourself hope. That is the true meaning of inner strength."

"Don't go, Zuko." Lan pleaded, reaching out and grabbing Zuko's hand.

Zuko looked first at Iroh and then down into Lan's pleading amber eyes. He closed his eyes for a moment before yanking his hand from Lan's grasp and leaving the cave.

"Now, Lan, there's no need for tears." Iroh soothed, kneeling in front of his sniffling granddaughter. "You know how Zuko is. He'll go off to sulk for a bit, but he'll come back. He always does."

Lan shook her head and rubbed furiously at her eyes. "Something's different this time, though. My tummy hurts, Grandpa. I don't want to lose my family."

Iroh pulled Lan into a hug, running his large hands through her unkempt hair. "You aren't going to lose us, Lan. We're a family, and family stays together, no matter what. Now, let me see that pretty smile."

Lan wiped the last of her tears away and smiled hesitantly. She sat at the mouth of the cave for the rest of the day, waiting for Zuko's return. She didn't eat much that day, despite Iroh's constant pleading. She dozed off for a bit and was troubled by strange dreams filled with the strangest looking creatures she had ever seen. She woke with a start when she heard a branch break somewhere nearby.

Zuko barely cracked a smile as Lan rushed over to hug him. He took her hand in his and led her back over to the camp. He paused behind Iroh whom was busy sorting through their supplies. His grip on Lan's hand tightened. "Uncle, I've thought a lot about what you said."

Iroh paused in his work and beamed over his shoulder at Zuko. "That's good, Zuko."

Lan frowned as Zuko didn't say anything for a beat. She looked up at his face and her heart immediately sank. "Zuko, what's wrong?"

Zuko hesitated a moment more before speaking. "What you said, it helped me to realize something, Uncle. We no longer have anything to gain by traveling together. I need to find my own way."

Lan's eyes widened while Iroh's shoulders slumped. Lan was more shocked than Iroh was. She hadn't ever thought for a single moment that Zuko would leave. As Zuko tried to walk away, she gripped tightly at his hand with both of hers. "Zuko, please don't go." She pleaded as he shook her off and grabbed a pack.

Zuko paused as Lan wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him from behind. He could hear and feel her sobbing, her tiny body shaking against his. "Lan, don't make this more difficult than it needs to be."

"Wait, Zuko." Iroh came over with the reigns for their ostrich horse in his hands. "You'll need him more than I will. And…take Lan with you."

"Grandpa!"

"Uncle, no!"

Both Lan and Zuko shouted in protest. Iroh held a hand up to silence them both. "Lan, I'm an old man. I know I don't look it, but I am." He said lightly. "I can't take as good care of you as Zuko can. Besides, if you don't go with him, you'll be miserable, and you know it. I don't want to see my only grandchild sad."

Lan hesitated before looking up at Zuko. She wanted them to all stay together. She wanted Zuko to grin and say he had just been joking. She wanted Iroh to convince Zuko to stay. Looking between the two of them, she knew that neither was going to happen. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn't feel Zuko slip from her arms and mount up on the ostrich horse. She blinked as Zuko was suddenly holding a hand out to her.

Iroh smiled and hugged Lan tightly as the little girl threw herself into his arms. He kissed the side of her head and rubbed her back soothingly. "You take good care of him, understand?"

Lan nodded, choking back a sob as she stepped away from her grandfather. She took Zuko's offered hand and allowed him to pull her up behind him. She wrapped her arms around Zuko's waist and buried her face in his back. "Grandpa will be okay on his own, right, Zuko?"

"Of course." Zuko's voice was oddly hoarse. "He'll be fine. You can stay with him, you know."

Lan shook her head, tightening her grip on his waist. "No. Somebody needs to take care of you and make sure you don't get into trouble."

Zuko managed to crack a small smile. "Shouldn't that be my job with you?"

"No way." Lan protested. "You're just a silly teenager." She rested her head against Zuko's back and sighed. She tensed when she saw a strange woman standing in the trees to the side. The woman had a plain white mask on, with only slits for eyes as decoration. The woman's dress, on the other hand, was an extravagent long golden dress, with red thread weaving over the skirt in different shapes and patterns. Lan was startled to see that the woman was following her every movement. "Zuko!"

"What?" Zuko whirled around, thinking they were under attack. He frowned when he saw nothing. "What, Lan?"

Lan blinked. The woman was gone. "No…I guess I was just seeing things."

Zuko shrugged and kicked the ostrich into a trot.


	17. The Earth Village

**kaigirl16: …maybe :)**

**the musical bender: I debated between who she should go with for a while. Ultimately, for the way I want the story to go, it works better for her to go with Zuko for now.**

**Sakura02: Uh, that's what I write best XD. You know this chapter isn't going to be much happier. **

**AvatarCat11: Thank you :)**

**Shifuni: Thanks**

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"Lan, wake up." Zuko said hoarsely. "We're in a village."

Lan whimpered and reluctantly opened her eyes. She was so hungry that her stomach couldn't even make the pitiful groans it had been making the other day. She was thirsty too. They had run out of water a couple days ago, Zuko having forced Lan to take the last drop of water from their water skin. "Zuko, I'm hungry."

"I know." Zuko said as he dismounted in front of a merchant stall. He reached up and picked Lan up, helping her down. He turned to the merchant, ignoring the little group of soldiers gambling, and held out what was left of their money. "Can I get some water, a bag of feed, and two hot meals."

The man sighed apologetically. "That's not enough for hot meals. I can give you two bags of feed."

Lan whined, leaning heavily against Zuko as he sagged before reluctantly giving the merchant his money. She blinked as she heard laughter coming from beside them. When she looked up, no one was there, but she did see an egg zoom past and hit one of the soldiers in the head. If Lan hadn't been so tired, she would've laughed.

Zuko had seen the children too. He put his hand on Lan's hand and forced her to face the stall. "Don't look at them." He whispered.

Before Lan could ask why, the soldiers came stomping over. The leader of the group, a rather tall man bald on the top of his head and with an imposing war axe at his side, glared at the two.

"You strangers throwing eggs at us?" The soldier snapped.

Lan glared at him. "We didn't do anything. Leave us alone."

"No." Zuko said shortly, pinching Lan's hand to silence her.

The soldier glared suspiciously at the two. "Did you see who did throw it?"

"No." Zuko answered again, fixing Lan with his own glare to keep her silent.

"The egg had to come from somewhere." The leader sneered.

"Maybe a chicken flew over and he didn't like your ugly face." Lan shot back before Zuko could stop her. "Hey!" Lan protested as the soldier snatched up the feed the merchant had just brought them. "Give that back, you jerk."

The soldier sneered down at Lan. "The army thanks you for your contribution. You'd do well to teach the young lady her place, sir." He said to Zuko. "In fact, I think you two should leave. The penalty for staying here is a lot steeper than you two can afford. Trust me." He smirked, patting the war hammer at his side before sauntering off with his cronies.

The merchant shook his head in disgust. "Those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the Fire Nation, but they're nothing more than a bunch of thugs."

"Let's go." Zuko said softly to Lan, taking her hand and leading her back to the ostrich horse.

"Hey, thanks for not ratting me out." A boy about Lan's age came up to them, a wide grin on his face.

While Zuko merely ignored the boy, Lan glared furiously at him. "Go away." She hissed. Normally, she wasn't so mean. Normally, however, she wasn't starving, thirsty, and sleep deprived. She allowed Zuko to hoist her up behind him on the ostrich horse and buried her face in his back. She glared down at the boy when she felt him grab onto the ostrich horse's bridle. "What part of go away do you not understand?"

The boy simply grinned at her and Zuko. "You can come stay at my house. I'll even feed your ostrich horse. It's the least I can do for you guys not ratting me out. I'm Lee, by the way."

Zuko glanced over his shoulder at Lan's pale face. It only took a moment's hesitation before he was following Lee to the young boy's farm. He raised an eyebrow at all the different pig creatures wandering around the farm.

"You've got a lot of animals." Lan said softly.

Lee grinned up at her. "Nobody can sneak up on us."

"No kidding." Zuko muttered. He looked up as a man and woman, clearly Lee's parents, approached them.

"Mom, Dad, these guys scared off the soldiers. They practically had them running." Lee grinned.

Lee's mother smiled brightly at Zuko and Lan. "Do you strangers have names?"

Lan and Zuko looked nervously at each other, unsure what to say. Lee's father, noticing this, smiled kindly at the two of them. "Now, Sela, these folks don't have to say their names if they don't want to. Anyone that holds their own against those bullies is more than welcome here. Those men should be ashamed to wear the Earth Kingdom uniforms."

Sela nodded her head. "The real soldiers are out there fighting the war, like Lee's big brother, Sen Su." She shook her head, putting her smile back on. "Would you like to stay for supper? The food is almost ready."

Lan looked hopefully up at Zuko. She was so hungry. She sighed when Zuko shook his head at her. "We can't…"

Undeterred, Sela continued smiling at the two. "Gansu needs help on the barn. Why don't you boys go work on the barn while me and the young lady go finish supper."

"Can I?" Lan asked, again hopeful.

Zuko sighed, dismounting from the ostrich horse and helping Lan down. He frowned at how light Lan had become. Before everything had gone down hill, he had been struggling to pick Lan up. Now, it was like she was three years old, so easy to lift up in the air.

As soon as Lan's feet touched the floor, she scampered off after Sela. She didn't even glance back at Zuko as Sela took her hand and led her into the quaint little farm house. "Thank you for letting us stay, Ms. Sela." Lan said softly.

"Please, just call me Sela, Dear." Sela smiled as she stirred a pot full of delicious smelling soup. "Now, I know my husband said not to pry, but why are such young children traveling alone? Where are your parents?"

Lan hesitated for a moment. "My parents are dead. My father died in the war and my mother died giving birth to me." She blinked as Sela suddenly hugged her.

"Oh, Dear. I'm so sorry." Sela didn't ask anymore questions after that. She had Lan help her set the table and even let her stir the soup. Gansu, Lee, and Zuko all marched in just as the food was finished.

Supper was rather enjoyable for Zuko and Lan, both of whom hadn't had a decent meal in quite a while. Lan frowned as Lee sat obnoxiously close to her. Every time she shoved him away from her, he just grinned and scooted right back next to her. Sela refilled Zuko and Lan's bowls multiple times, insisting they were only skin and bones and needed more food.

Once dinner was over, Gansu led Lan and Zuko out into the barn where they were to sleep for the night. Lan didn't protest, collapsing onto the soft hay and snuggling deep down into the pile. She could barely keep her eyes open as Zuko collapsed next to her as well. She immediately snuggled against Zuko's chest. "Can we stay here forever, Zuko? I like Sela and Gansu. Lee's okay. He just needs to not sit so close to me."

Zuko managed a short snort, smoothing Lan's hair down. It was slowly starting to grow back out, though it was slightly uneven. "No, we can't stay. We don't belong here, Lan. If these people ever found out who we are, they'd hate us. We leave first thing in the morning."

Lan sighed. "Okay." She barely managed to get that one word out before she fell asleep.

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Lan was standing on a tree stump in a strange looking swamp. She blinked as a giant panda walked by. A monkey wearing monk's clothing was meditating right beside her. "Um, excuse me, could you tell me where I am?"

"Oh, it won't do you any good to ask him. He's actually rather rude." A familiar voice giggled.

"Yue!" Lan exclaimed, running over to the gorgeous moon spirit. She smiled as Yue wrapped the little girl in a hug. "What are you doing here?"

Yue simply smiled. "I just wanted to say hello." She straightened up and nodded to someone behind Lan.

Lan turned around and her eyes widened. "Its you! You're the lady I saw before!"

Indeed, the woman with the mask was standing behind Lan. The woman inclined her head to Lan, but said nothing. "Who are you?" Lan asked. "What do you want?"

She didn't get a chance to find out what the woman wanted as she was suddenly jolted awake by someone tripping over her foot. She glared sleepily at a guilty looking Lee. "What are you doing here?" She hissed. Her eyes widened when she saw Zuko's broadswords clutched in Lee's hands.

"I'm just borrowing them." Lee insisted. "I just wanted to practice. Wanna come watch me?"

Lan hesitated for a moment. She glanced over where Zuko was still sleeping. "Okay." She followed Lee to a field a little ways from the farm. She plopped down on the ground and watched as he attempted to swing the swords around. "You're not very good."

Lee blushed a bright red. "I'm trying! I look pretty cool with them, though, don't I?"

Lan shrugged. "I guess."

"It would help if you held them correctly."

Both Lan and Lee jumped guiltily as Zuko appeared. Zuko rolled his eyes and walked over to Lee. He took the swords from Lee's hands and showed him how to properly hold the two broadswords.

Lan watched with interest as Zuko showed Lee how to wield the swords and then how Lee tried to imitate Zuko. She noticed how every time she giggled or complimented him, Lee's ears would turn bright red. She'd never seen that happen before and it amused her. After a bit of practicing, the three headed back towards the farm.

Zuko walked on ahead back to the barn. Lan went to follow him, but was stopped by Lee grabbing her hand. She turned to ask him what he wanted, but was once again stopped. This time, though, it was by Lee kissing her cheek before running back to the house. Lan stood there for a moment, dumbfounded before running back into the barn.

"What's wrong with you?" Zuko asked gruffly as Lan dove headfirst into the hay. He blinked as Lan simply shook her head and snuggled back into his side. "Weirdo."

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Sela smiled at Zuko and Lan, handing them a large package. "This should get you through a few meals."

"Do you really have to go?" Lee pouted.

Before Zuko or Lan could say anything, the different pig animals began oinking loudly as the soldiers from the other day came galloping up. Lan buried her face in Zuko's back. "What do those jerks want?"

"Probably trouble." Zuko muttered. He straightened as the soldiers rode up.

"What do you want, Gow?" Gansu asked the leader impatiently.

Gow sneered down at Gansu. "Just thought you should know your son's battalion got captured by the Fire Nation. Know what they do to captured Earth Kingdom soldiers?"

"I heard they dressed up one battalion in Fire Nation armor and sent them out on the front lines with no weapons." Cackled one of the soldiers.

"Watch your mouth!" Gansu snapped.

Gow glared at him. He kicked his ostrich horse forward, but was stopped by Zuko moving forward as well. He glared at Zuko for a moment. "Let's go."

"I'm going after Sen Su." Gansu said definitively. He turned on his heels and went back to his house, Sela close behind him.

Lee looked pleadingly up at Zuko and Lan. "When my dad goes, will you stay?"

"No." Zuko said with finality. "We have to move on." He sighed when he saw how dejected Lee looked and handed him the dagger he always wore at his side. "You can have this. Read the inscription."

Lee blinked as he unsheathed the dagger. "Made in Earth Kingdom?"

Zuko rolled his eyes as Lan giggled. "The other one."

Lee looked at the other side of the dagger and smiled. "Never give up without a fight."

Zuko and Lan traveled silently as they left the farm and the little village. They stopped at noon to eat and take a quick nap. Lan had just fallen asleep when the sound of a wagon approaching caused her to sit up. "Zuko, wake up." She whispered.

Zuko sat up as Sela leapt off the wagon and rushed over to them. "What's wrong?"

"It's Lee!" Sela gasped out as she rushed over to the two. "Those thugs came back after you two left and demanded food. Lee pulled a knife on them…I don't even know where he got it from! They took him away and said that if he was old enough to fight, he was old enough to join the army. I know we hardly know you two, but…" Her voice trailed off in a choked sob.

"We'll get him back." Zuko said softly, standing back up. "Let's go." He said softly, helping Lan back onto the horse. "Don't get involved."

"Yes sir." Lan said softly. As soon as they reached the village, Lan leapt off the ostrich horse while Zuko confronted Gow. "Are you okay?" She asked Lee softly, untying the ropes that bound him to a pole.

Lee grinned gratefully at her as he rubbed circulation back into his wrists. "I knew you'd guys would come back."

Lan offered a small smile in return. The two turned to watch as Zuko squared off against Gow. Lan bit her lip nervously, unsure how the fight would turn out. Zuko was strong, but still smaller than Gow. On top of that, he couldn't use his Fire Bending, not if he didn't want to blow their cover. The longer the fight dragged on, the more Lan grew worried. "No!" She cried out as Zuko fell to the ground. She closed her eyes, not wishing to see Zuko getting killed. She blinked as she felt someone hugging her. "Lee?"

Lee smiled at her. "He's going to get up. He's going to win."

Indeed, Zuko did get up. The way he got up, though, made Lan cringe. "Oh no."

Zuko shot up from the ground, shooting a blast of fire into Gow's stomach. He continues shooting flames at Gow until the thug goes flying into the wall of a building. "Who are you?" Gow asked weakly.

"I'm Zuko. Son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne." Zuko said confidently.

Lan gasped as she felt someone roughly shove her to the ground. "Lee?"

Lee glared hatefully at Lan as his mother ran over. "You're from the Fire Nation?"

"Yes." Lan said slowly as Zuko walked over and helped her up while Sela stood protectively in front of Lee.

"Don't either of you come a step closer." Sela hissed.

Zuko ignored her and held out the dagger he had retrieved from Gow. "Take it. It's yours."

"No!" Lee shouted. "I hate you! Both of you! You Fire Nation guys are all evil!"

"Let's go, Lan." Zuko said after a moment. He put the dagger back at his side and helped Lan back up onto the ostrich horse. "Don't cry." He whispered as they rode out of the village, the street lined with hatefully glaring villages.

"I'm not." Lan whimpered out. She glanced out from where her face was buried in Zuko's back. She saw Lee's family standing there, glaring hatefully at them. "I'm not." She repeated.


	18. Reunited

**Sakura02: I enjoyed writing Lan's responses to Lee :) Yeah, you'd think people would be able to tell. Maybe Zuko was wearing colored contacts?**

**kaigirl16: I know :( I guess I can understand their hatred, though.**

**Shifuni: Yeah, I noticed that too. **

**Thank you: AvatarCat11, Yami Mizuna, Danielle Maddie, perfectpanda37, and chickenchick for your reviews!**

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"Zuko, do you really think Azula made these tracks?" Lan asked, staring dubiously at the large tank tracks they were currently riding beside.

Zuko nodded, a determined look on his face. "I'm sure of it."

"So, if these tracks lead to Azula, why are we following them?" Lan sighed as Zuko said nothing. Zuko had been in a strange mood ever since they had left the village. He was quieter than usual, a thoughtful look on his face all the time. She missed Iroh terribly and wondered what her grandfather was doing every day. "Zuko, I'm hungry."

"We don't have enough food for you to have a snack. You'll have to wait until dinnertime." He sighed at the dejected look on Lan's face. "We'll stop soon and eat, okay? Let's just go a few more miles."

Lan smiled and hugged Zuko around his waist. "Thank you, Zuko."

The two had been following the trail of tank tracks and huge clumps of white fur for a few days now. Despite the quick pace of the tank chasing the Avatar, the two were slowly beginning to catch up. Lan attributed this to the fact that Zuko pushed their poor ostrich horse for hours into the night, stopping for only about an hour for breakfast and dinner; they ate lunch on the ride.

Dinner was a quiet affair with neither Lan or Zuko really saying anything. They ate quickly and resumed following the trail. Lan sat in front of Zuko now, his arms like a safe cage around her in case she were to fall asleep. Lan could feel herself dozing off and wrapped her arms tightly around herself to keep warm. "Night, Zuko."

Zuko didn't respond, but his arms instinctively tightened around Lan. She had been asleep for all of thirty minutes when she suddenly began thrashing about. "Lan, wake up!" Zuko shouted, pulling the ostrich horse to halt as Lan thrashed violently around.

Lan's eyes suddenly snapped open. She looked around, her eyes unfocused before she began crying. "I was so scared, Zuko!"

"What wrong, Lan?" Zuko asked as his tiny cousin sobbed into his shirt.

"There was a scary centipede thing and he wanted to steal my face!" Lan wailed. After a few minutes of Zuko consoling her, she calmed down. "The lady saved me."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "What lady?"

"The lady with the mask." Lan answered plainly.

* * *

It was another day of tireless traveling when they arrived in the deserted village. Lan perked up as she heard the sounds of people's voices, both very familiar to her. "Zuko, I think Aang and Azula are here…" She yelped as he kicked the ostrich horse into a fast run.

"Lan, take care of the ostrich horse!" Zuko shouted as he jumped off and rolled to the ground, coming into a crouch between Azula and Aang.

Lan grabbed the reigns and pulled the ostrich horse to an abrupt halt. She dismounted and tied it to a nearby pole. She watched warily as the three stared each other down. She made a move to join the brewing fray, but was halted in her tracks.

"Stay there, Lan!" Zuko shouted at the same time as Aang shouting.

"Stay where it's safe!"

"Aw, how sweet." Azula cooed, never taking her eyes off of Aang and Zuko. "It must be nice to be so loved by the enemy and a traitor."

Lan bristled at the comment. She crouched down into a fighting stance as well. "Shut up, Azula. You're just jealous because nobody loves you."

Azula howled with mirth. "How adorably naïve." Without warning Azula launched a blast of blue fire at Zuko whom stumbled back.

"Aang, watch out!" Lan cried as Azula shot more blue fire at Aang as the Avatar attempted to fly away.

"Quiet, Traitor!" Azula shouted.

Lan yelped and barely managed to scramble out of the way from the flying blue flames. She looked up and was relieved to see the ostrich horse was unharmed. Zuko, Azula, and Aang were nowhere in sight, but Lan could still hear the fighting raging on.

"Lan, what are you doing here?" Katara asked in alarm. "Where's Aang?"

"Evil Fire Nation Child!" Sokka exclaimed.

Lan glared at him and stuck her tongue out indignantly. "I'm not evil. They're all fighting each other." Lan said in answer to Katara's question. "Aang and Zuko told me not to fight."

A loud crash snapped Katara and Sokka into action. "Lan, stay here where it's safe!" Katara shouted over her shoulder as she and Sokka ran in the direction of the crash.

Lan huffed, going over to the ostrich horse and pouting. "It's not fair. I want to fight too."

"Then follow me, Lan."

Lan stilled for a moment, slowly looking over her shoulder, not believing the voice she had heard. Her eyes widened before she began sniffling and tears spilled from her eyes. "Grandpa!" She cried as she ran over and hugged Iroh. "I missed you so much!"

Iroh hugged Lan tightly. "I missed you too, Lan. Now, perk up. We need to go help Zuko."

Lan nodded and wipe the tears from her eyes. She quickly followed after Iroh to where the sounds of fighting could be heard. They find Aang groups fighting valiantly against Azula with Zuko laying unconscious a few feet away. "Zuko!"

Zuko groaned as he heard Lan screaming in his ear. He opened his eyes to chastise her for not listening to him, but cut himself short. His eyes widened when he saw Iroh standing over him with Lan crouched beside him. "Uncle!"

"Get up!" Iroh held his hand out and pulled Zuko to his feet.

The Avatar group and Zuko's group stare at each other briefly, hesitating for only a moment before nodding and in unison, attacking Azula. Lan couldn't help grinning as she was finally allowed to fight, her blasts of fire mixing with Zuko's and Iroh's.

Slowly, the group was pushing Azula back into a retreat. Lan blinked as a pillar of earth shot up and knocked Azula to her knees. A short girl she had never seen before was standing there, grinning. "Who's that?"

"I thought you guys could use some help." The girl said proudly.

Katara smiled. "Thank you. She's a friend of ours." Katara explained to Lan.

"The names Toph." Toph said to Lan.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Lan." Lan and Toph grinned at each other.

"This is all nice and cuddly, but uh…she's getting away." Sokka pointed down an alleyway where Azula had run down.

"Follow her." Iroh said to the Avatar group. "We'll cut her off at the entrance. Zuko, Lan, come with me."

Lan ran with Zuko and Iroh around the building. They reached the mouth of the alley just as Azula attempted to run out, only succeeding in bouncing off of Iroh's large belly. Aang's group closed in from the other side, backing Azula into a corner.

"You lose, Azula." Lan said, sticking her tongue out at the princess.

Azula smirked. "Well, isn't this nice? Enemies and traitors working together." She held her hands up in defeat. "I'm done. I know when I've got no hope of winning. A princess surrenders with honor."

Lan narrowed her eyes suspiciously as Azula stood there, perfectly still. She knew something was up; Azula never surrendered. Everything happened so quickly, that it seemed to almost happen in slow motion to Lan. She saw Azula's smirk widen and how she suddenly shot blue fire towards the group. Specifically, right into Iroh's chest. Lan wasn't sure who screamed louder as Iroh fell; her or Zuko. "Grandpa!" Lan screamed, rushing to her grandfather's fallen side. She cradled his head in her lap while the others simultaneously attacked Azula. She coughed as a large smoke cloud billowed up. When the smoke cleared, Azula had vanished without a trace.

"Zuko." Lan whimpered out as Zuko knelt beside Iroh's still form. She looked up at Katara, tears spilling down her cheeks, silently pleading for the Water Bender to do something, anything to save her grandfather.

"Leave us alone!" Zuko shouted as Katara and the others cautiously approached.

"Zuko, maybe they can…" Lan trailed off at the withering look Zuko gave her. She choked back another sob and lowered her head.

"Zuko, I can help." Katara said softly, taking another tentative step forward, holding one hand out in a gesture of helpfulness. She stumbled back as Zuko shot a wave of fire over the group's head.

"Leave!" He howled in fury.

"Zuko, we have to get out of here." Lan whispered hesitantly after the group had left. The buildings around them were burning to the ground, the acrid smell of smoke all around them.

Stiffly, Zuko stood up, pulling Iroh onto his back and dragging him back towards where Lan had left the ostrich horse. Lan trailed close behind. She looked up through the cloud of smoke and could barely make out the sun. "Please…" she whispered. "please don't let him die."


	19. Training

**AvatarCat11: Happy Early Birthday :)**

**Sakura02: You better watch out for Ghostface! **

**Thanks: kaigirl16, Shifuni, and Akatsukigirl for reviewing!**

* * *

Lan shifted anxiously beside Iroh. Her eyes lit out as he let out a groan of pain. "Zuko, he's waking up!"

Slowly, Iroh opened his eyes to find his nephew and granddaughter sitting over him, smiles of relief on both their faces. He reached out and touched Lan's cheek, smiling gently. "I forget sometimes how much you look like your father."

"You were unconscious, Uncle." Zuko explained as Iroh sat up and examined his bandages. "Azula did this to you."

"It was a surprise attack." Lan said bitterly.

Iroh chuckled. "Somehow, that isn't very surprising." He raised an eyebrow as Zuko offered him a tin cup filled with a steaming liquid of some sort.

"It's tea." Zuko said quietly. "I hope I made it the way you like it."

Lan giggled at the disgusted look that crossed Iroh's face. She applauded her grandfather for putting on a smile and pretending he enjoyed it until Zuko turned around. She stifled another giggle as Iroh tossed the liquid out the window of the run down shack they were hiding in.

Oblivious to all this, Zuko turned back to Iroh. "Uncle, I was thinking, it's only a matter of time before we run into Azula again. If I want to be able to even be on even footing with her, I need to learn more advanced firebending techniques. I already know what you're going to say; that she's my sister and I should try and get along with her, but I really…"

"No." Iroh interrupted with a serious face. "She's crazy, and she needs to go down. Lan, I think it's time you learned some new techniques as well."

Lan's eyes widened in surprise, along with Zuko's. "Really?"

"I may not look it, but I'm getting old, Lan." Iroh said with a grin. "I won't be able to protect you forever and you need to be able to help Zuko. Both of you will resume training. Lan, put on another pot of tea."

Lan obeyed, unable to keep the grin off her face. She knew she wouldn't be learning the advanced techniques like Zuko, but still…it had been a long time since she'd learned anything new.

As soon as the kettle was done boiling the tea, Iroh poured all three of them a cup before speaking. "Lan, even though you will not be learning how to use lightning, you must still listen closely. Someday, when you're older, either myself or Zuko will teach you. Lightning is a pure expression of firebending that has nothing to do with emotions. It is known as the cold-blooded fire and is precise and deadly, like Azula. In order to control it, you must have peace of mind."

Zuko's eyes lit up. "I see. That's why we're drinking tea."

Lan laughed as Iroh nodded his head sagely. "I think Grandpa just wanted tea." She grinned at the pointed look Iroh gave her. Once they were done with the tea, Iroh led them outside.

"Stay back a bit, Lan." Iroh said. Once Lan was at a satisfactory distance, Iroh continued his lecture. "There is energy all around us. The energy is known as yin and yang; positive and negative energy. Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies. This creates and imbalance and the energies immediately wish to balance out. The positive and negative energies crash back together in a quick moment. You provide release and balance, creating lightning."

Lan watched from a distance as Iroh went through the motions. She copied him, using much smaller and more delicate motions. At the moment that Iroh released his bolt of lightning, Lan was startled as a similar, though much smaller bolt of lightning shot from her hand. She looked up to confirm that neither Iroh nor Zuko had seen that. She stared at her hands in surprise, the tingling sensation of the lightning passing through her still lingering.

"Are you okay, Lan?" Iroh called over.

"Yes sir." Lan answered quickly, putting her hands behind her back. She flinched as Zuko attempted to mimic Iroh and failed, getting roughly thrown back by the force of his failure. She decided not to say anything yet about the lightning. She didn't want to upset Zuko.

For the rest of the afternoon, Lan watched Zuko training while Iroh taught her some new techniques. She practiced her new moves diligently, all the while watching as Zuko grew more and more frustrated with his inability to create lightning. She finally stopped as Zuko let out a particularly loud shout of frustration. "Zuko, maybe we should take a break…"

"No!" Zuko snapped. He sighed in irritation as Lan flinched away. "Sorry." He muttered. He rubbed the back of his neck irritably. "Why can't I do it?" He hissed, his voice getting louder with each word. "Instead of creating lightning, it just blows up in my face like everything else does."

Iroh sighed. "I was afraid this might happen. You cannot perform lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside of you."

"What turmoil?" Zuko shouted.

Lan chewed nervously on her lip. "Please don't yell…"

"Zuko," Iroh said patiently, wrapping a comforting arm around Lan. "you must let go of your feelings of shame if you wish for your anger to go away."

"But I don't feel any shame!" Zuko said, though much quieter than last time. "I'm as proud as ever."

"Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. "Iroh explained calmly. "True humility is the only antidote to shame."

Zuko huffed and sat down on the ground. "Well, my life has been nothing but humbling lately." He cracked a small smile as Lan ran over and gave him a hug. He patted her on the back and ruffled her hair.

Iroh smirked suddenly. "I've got an idea. I'll teach you a firebending move that not even Azula knows since I made it up."

Lan couldn't help grinning as Zuko smiled a genuine smile for the first time in a while. "Can I learn it to?"

Iroh thought for a moment before nodding slowly. "On one condition though; I don't want you using it unless it is absolutely necessary." Once Lan had nodded, Iroh sat down and motioned for Lan and Zuko to sit beside him. He picked up a stick and began drawing the four elements in the dirt.

"Fire is the element of power. We of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what we want. Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring. Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor!" Iroh grinned at this and only received a giggle from Lan while Zuko remained impassive. He sighed and continued on. "Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything."

Zuko groaned in annoyance. "Why are you telling us all of this?"

"It is important to draw wisdom from many places." Iroh explained. "By understanding other people and other nations, you will become whole instead of rigid and stale like those that focus only on their own nation."

"Kind of like the Avatar?" Lan asked. "Is that why he's so powerful?"

Iroh nodded. "Yes. He is powerful because he understands all four nations. It can make you more powerful too, though. The technique I'm going to teach the two of you, I learned from studying the waterbenders."

Lan scrambled to stand as Iroh and Zuko did. She watched closely as Iroh moved into a Waterbending move. She and Zuko mimicked all of Iroh's moves carefully and slowly.

"Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy." Iroh explained as he repeated the same motions over and over, glancing out of the corner of his eye to ensure Lan and Zuko were copying him correctly. "A waterbender turns their defense into offense, turning their opponents energies against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning."

Zuko's eyes lit up. "You're going to teach us how to redirect lightning?"

"If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it. You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to your shoulder and down into your stomach. The stomach is the source of energy in your body. You direct it up again and out the other arm. The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart or the damage could be deadly. You may wish to try a physical motion to get a feel for the pathway's flow."

Iroh showed Lan and Zuko what he meant by pointing to the left with both his arms before pointing his right arm in the other direction. Iroh then moved his left arm to the right and back again. He nodded in approval as Lan and Zuko mimicked him exactly. The three repeated the motions together a few times before Iroh spoke again. "Now, are you focusing your energy ? Can you feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out ?"

"I think so." Zuko muttered uncertainly.

Lan said nothing. She could feel her chi following the exact path Iroh said it would. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the feeling, going through the motions over and over. She wasn't sure how long they practiced before her stomach rumbled loudly. Lan opened her eyes and was surprised to find it was getting dark.

Hearing this, Iroh stops them from practicing. "Zuko, Lan, you both got it!"

Zuko beamed. "Great! Now I'm ready to try it with real lightning."

Lan stared blankly at him. "Zuko, that's really dangerous. You could get killed."

"She's right, Zuko." Iroh said patiently, already seeing the impatient twitch in Zuko's eye.

"What's the point of teaching me the technique if I can't even try it out?" Zuko snapped impatiently.

"I'm not going to shoot lightning at you." Iroh said firmly. "I hope neither you nor Lan ever have to use this technique."

"Fine." Zuko stormed over to the ostrich and mounted up. "If you won't help me, I'll find my own lightning!"

"Zuko!" Lan protested as he rode off. She was stopped from following him by Iroh placing a hand on her shoulder. "Grandpa…"

Iroh smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry, Lan. He'll come back. Now," His face turned serious. "I want to talk to you about that lightning you created earlier."


	20. The White Lotus

**I am so sorry for my long absence everyone! It was the end of the semester and Physics was kicking my butt. I'm all done now with the Spring semester so updates should be much more frequent :) Thank you all for your patience and continued support!**

**kaigirl16: Lan is actually seven years old :)**

**Sakura02: Zuko's always mad about something. But, yeah, that's why Lan didn't really want to say anything since she knew how her cousin would react.**

**Thank you: chibichibi98, AvatarCat11, The BloodBender at Full Moon, Shifuni, perfectpanda37, itachi-sister, and BANEHiwatari for reviewing**

* * *

"Zuko, make Grandpa be quiet." Lan whined as they rode through a valley on the outskirts of a rather large desert. Iroh had been moaning and groaning nonstop for close to an hour now and even Lan's patience was wearing thin. She tilted her head up to look at Zuko pleadingly.

Zuko glared over his shoulder at Iroh when his uncle groaned once again. "Maybe we should set up camp."

"Oh…no." Iroh groaned out. "Please, don't stop on my account."

Lan felt her eye twitch as Iroh let out another loud groan. "Please, Zuko, can we stop?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, but brought the Ostrich-horse up short. He placed Lan on the ground before dismounting himself. He glared at Iroh as his uncle plopped himself down on a flat rock.

Lan giggled. She went over to the Ostrich-horse and began petting it lovingly on the head. She tensed when the Ostrich-horse yanked away from her and whipped its head around, its ears perking up to listen to something in the distance. Immediately, Lan slipped into a defensive position at almost the exact same moment as Zuko.

"What is it now?" Iroh groaned.

Zuko moved protectively in front of Lan as a group of Fire Nation soldiers on rhinos appeared through the foliage, creating a circle around Lan, Zuko, and Iroh. Lan put on her bravest glare as the riders pulled their rhinos to a stop.

Iroh stood up, a bright smile on his face. "Colonel Mongke, what a nice surprise!"

Colonel Mongke rolled his eyes and sneered. "If you are truly surprised, then the Dragon of the West has gone soft."

"Grandpa, you know these guys?" Lan asked nervously as the men drew their various weapons.

"Of course!" Iroh said, still smiling. "The Rough Riders led by Colonel Mongke are legendary. Not only is each member a specialist in each of their own weapons, they are also a fabulous singing group."

Lan raised an eyebrow as she looked dubiously at all the different men. She just couldn't picture any of them singing. "I don't think they're here to sing for us."

"She's right. We're here to apprehend the three fugitives of the Fire Nation." Colonel Mongke said.

Lan blinked and tugged impatiently on Zuko's sleeve. "Zuko, who's he talking about?"

"He means us, you idiot!" Zuko snapped irritably. "Honestly, you're just as bad as Uncle sometimes!"

Iroh chuckled. "Would you like some tea before you apprehend us?"

"Enough stalling!" Mongke shouted. "Round them up, now!"

"Lan, get the Ostrich-horse." Zuko hissed before beginning to fight with the Rough Riders along with Iroh.

Lan quickly obeyed, ducking and dodging as attacks were thrown at her. She shot a fire ball at one of the Rough Riders, smirking in satisfaction as she knocked him off his rhino. She hopped onto the Ostrich-horse and urged it towards Iroh. "Grandpa!"

Iroh leapt up behind Lan. He took the reins from her and guided the Ostrich-horse towards where Zuko had just knocked Mongke off of his rhino. Zuko jumped on behind Iroh and the three quickly galloped away. Iroh smiled as they managed to escape the Rough Riders. "It's always nice to see old friends."

"You need better friends, Grandpa." Lan muttered.

Zuko nodded in agreement. "Don't you have any old friends that don't want to attack you?"

Iroh thought for a moment. "Now that you mention it…" He perked up. "How do you two feel about a quick detour?"

* * *

Lan looked curiously around the bar that Iroh had led them into from her seat at the table they were currently occupying. "I don't think I'm allowed in here."

Iroh waved his hand dismissively. "Nonsense. Just stay close to me and your cousin."

Zuko rolled his eyes as Lan immediately latched onto his arm. He didn't yank it away though. "Why are we here? I doubt any of these filthy wanderers can help us."

Iroh didn't respond and instead continued looking around the bar. His eyes suddenly lit up. "I believe I've found our friend."

Lan had to practically stand up in her chair to see where Iroh was looking. She puffed her cheeks out indignantly. "He's playing Pai Sho! Grandpa, right now isn't the best time to play games!"

"You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?" Zuko added irritably.

Iroh stood up and began walking over, already knowing his nephew and granddaughter would follow. "I don't think this is a gamble." He smiled at the old man as they stopped in front of his table. "May I have this game?"

The old man looked up, returning Iroh's smile as Iroh sat down. "The guest always has the first move." He raised an eyebrow as Iroh placed a white lotus tile in the middle. "I see you favor the white lotus gambit. It is rare to find someone that holds to the ancient ways."

"Those that do are always able to find a friend." Iroh responded easily.

Lan watched with wide eyes as the two quickly began playing. She clung tightly to Zuko's hand as piece after piece was laid out on the board. When they were finished, Lan stood on her tiptoes and was surprised to see they had created the shape of a lotus blossom with their Pai Sho tiles. "That's so cool…"

The old man nodded approvingly. "Welcome, brother. The White Lotus opens to those who know her secrets."

Zuko pulled Lan back from the table. "What are you old farts talking about?"

Iroh grinned. "I always try and tell you and Lan that Pai Sho is more than just a game."

Lan was about to say something when a large man began storming over with a scrawnier looking man following close behind. "Zuko, who are they?"

"You three fugitives are coming with me!" The large man shouted.

The old man shot up from the table and pointed an accusing finger at the three. "I knew it! You three are wanted criminals with a large bounty on your heads!"

"Grandpa, I thought this was going to be a friend that didn't want to attack us!" Lan whined, clinging tighter to Zuko as people began turning their heads to see what was going on.

Zuko glared at the old man. "You said he would help us!"

Iroh placed a calming hand on both Lan and Zuko's backs. "He is. Just watch."

The old man glared at the two approaching men. "You think you're going to capture them and take all that gold for their bounty!"

As everyone in the bar began attacking the two men, the old man quickly led Iroh, Zuko, and Lan outside and through the cover of night to safety. Zuko's grip on Lan's hand tightened as she stumbled to keep up. He finally paused long enough to bend down and allow Lan to climb onto his back before he resumed running after the old man and Iroh. "You are such a pain…"

Lan buried her face in Zuko's shoulder. "Thanks, Zuko."

They ran until they reached a village on the outskirts of the desert. The old man ushered them quickly inside a small building before shutting the door behind him. Lan looked around at all the beautiful flowers that lined the walls of the room. She ran to and fro, sniffing all the different kinds of flowers while Zuko stormed after Iroh and the old man to the back of the store where a door was.

"I'm afraid it's members only from this point." Iroh grinned apologetically at Zuko. "Keep an eye on Lan."

Zuko groaned in annoyance and slouched against the wall. He watched Lan curiously as she continued smelling all the flowers. He managed to crack a small smile as Lan wrinkled her nose and began sneezing repeatedly. "Would you get over here and quit playing around?"

Lan skipped over to Zuko and slid down beside him. "Zuko, what do you think they're talking about in there?"

Zuko shrugged. "Who knows. Probably tea…" He smiled again as Lan giggled. The giggle quickly turned into a yawn and caused Zuko to roll his eyes. He slid down the wall to sit beside his little cousin. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her to his side. "Go to sleep. I'll let you know if those old farts finish with their flower arranging."

Again, Lan yawned. She snuggled into Zuko's side and let out a sigh of content as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Her dreams were mere fragments and felt all to familiar to Lan which disturbed her greatly. A woman was crying and she could hear someone sobbing her name. There was a bright light and then the woman with the mask was standing before her again, reaching for Lan, beckoning her.

Lan was jolted awake by Zuko shooting up and looking frantically around. Lan yelped as her head slammed onto the floor. "What happened?"

Iroh chuckled and helped Lan to stand up. "We're heading to Ba-Sing-Se."

"Isn't that the Earth Kingdom Capital?" Lan asked, still half asleep.

Zuko glared suspiciously at Iroh and the old man. "That's enemy territory."

The old man waved his hand. "The city is full of refugees. I doubt they will notice three more."

Iroh nodded. "We can hide in plain sight there. Besides, it's the safest place from the Fire Nation. Not even I could break down the city wall." He frowned at the troubled look on Lan's face. "Are you okay, Lan? Did you have another nightmare?"

Lan frowned thoughtfully, trying to recall her dream. "I…I don't know…" She looked up as a man walked briskly into the store.

"I have our guests passports, but there are two men on the street looking for them." The man said quickly.

Iroh, Zuko, and Lan crept over to the window and peered out. Lan puffed her cheeks out indignantly. "It's those jerks from last night. Can't they just leave us alone?"

The old man cleared his throat. "We have a way to get you out, but we must be quick."

Lan yelped as the man that had brought their passports scooped her up and dumped her into a rather large flower pot already on a cart. She had enough room to shift positions fairly comfortably. She poked her head out of the flowerpot to see Iroh and Zuko climbing into equally large flowerpots beside her on the cart. She grinned as the men put flowers on top of the holes over Iroh and Zuko's flowerpots. She sat down as the man put the flower over her own hiding place.

Alone in the darkness, Lan was able to recall parts of her dream. She pulled her knees to her chest as she felt the cart begin moving. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, willing the tears away. "Mom…"


	21. Jet

**Sakura02: He'll get better once they get to Ba-Sing-Se! I promise! **

**AvatarCat11: Congrats on graduating! My little sister actually just graduated from high school :) Yes, the Rough Rhinos were in the episode.**

**Thank you: Shifuni, itachi-sister, and Zutarafan14 for reviewing!**

* * *

Lan sighed as the boat rocked roughly back and forth. Her legs dangled over the side of the boat as she sat between Iroh and Zuko. She looked distastefully down at the gruel in the bowl beside her. Making sure no one was looking, Lan quickly shoved the disgusting glop over the railing. "Please tell me we'll get to eat better food in Ba-Sing-Se."

Iroh grinned. "Of course! Who would've ever thought that I would return to site of my greatest military defeat as a tourist." He laughed good naturedly and ruffled Lan's hair. He smiled when he realized for the first time that her hair was now just at her shoulders and he could swear she was a couple inches taller now. His granddaughter was growing up.

"We're not tourist." Zuko grit out. "We're refugees in case you haven't noticed." He took a swallow from his own wooden bowl and quickly spit it out over the railing. "I'm sick of disgusting food like this! I'm sick of living like this!"

"Aren't we all?"

Lan turned around to see a boy about Zuko's age approaching them. He had shaggy brown hair and a piece of prairie grass sticking out of his mouth. Lan eyed him suspiciously as he came to a stop in front of them.

The boy smiled. "My name's Jet. These are my freedom fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot." He motioned to a rather short girl that could've passed for a boy and a boy a little shorter than himself.

Zuko glanced down when Lan grabbed a hold of his hand. "Hello." He said without turning his gaze from the lake. He looked down when he didn't hear Lan say anything. "Say hello."

"Hi." Lan said softly. She managed a small smile when Smellerbee grinned at her.

Jet, undeterred by the less than enthusiastic greeting, leaned against the railing beside Zuko. "I hear the captain is eating like a king while we refugees have to live off of scraps. Doesn't seem very fair, does it?"

Iroh glanced at Jet suspiciously. "What sort of 'king' is he eating like?"

"The fat happy kind." Jet smirked as Iroh was practically drooling. He turned his attention back to Zuko. "You want to help us 'liberate' some food?"

Zuko glanced down at Lan and saw that her eyes were practically sparkling at the mention of delicious food. He looked down at the gruel in his bowl before tossing it over the railing. "I'm in. Stay here with Uncle." Zuko nudged Lan over to Iroh before following after Jet.

"It'll be okay." Iroh reassured Lan when he saw the worried look on her face. He squeezed her shoulder before grinning. "Why don't you go explore the ship?"

"Will you be okay by yourself?" Lan asked worriedly.

Iroh laughed. "Of course. Go have fun."

Lan reluctantly left Iroh's side and began exploring the ship. There wasn't much to it. The ship they had had when they first began searching for the Avatar was more complex than this one. She did meet a lot of kind people, though. She wondered if they would treat her differently if they knew who she really was. She flashed back to Lee and his family and her stomach began hurting. Suddenly no longer wishing to explore, Lan made her way back to where she'd left Iroh.

By the time she got back to him, the moon was in the air and Zuko was back with Jet and his companions passing out some of the most delicious food Lan had ever seen in her life.

"Where have you been?" Zuko asked as he waved her over to the little circle of pillows they were all sitting at. He frowned when he noticed the upset look on Lan's face as she sat next to him. "Are you okay?"

Lan quickly smiled. "Yes."

Iroh smiled as he sipped at his tea. He glanced over at Smellerbee. "So…Smellerbee…that's a rather unusual name for a young man."

Lan frowned at her uncle as an irritated look flashed across Smellerbee's face. "She's not a boy, Grandpa. Smellerbee is a girl."

Iroh looked rather surprised as Smellerbee stormed off. "Oh…then it's a wonderful name for a lovely young lady!"

Lan rolled her eyes as Longshot went off after Smellerbee. She glanced up as Jet sat beside her and handed her a bowl of steaming hot soup. "Thanks." She muttered.

Jet nodded. "From what I've heard, people eat like this everyday in Ba-Sing-Se. I can't wait to see the giant wall for myself."

Iroh nodded in approval. "It is a truly splendid sight to behold."

Jet raised an eyebrow. "You've been there before?"

"Yes. When I was a different man." Iroh said, regret clear in his eyes.

"I've done some things in my past that I'm not proud of either." Jet said quietly. "That's why I'm going to Ba-Sing-Se for a new beginning; a second chance."

"That's a very noble thing to do." Iroh said approvingly. He glanced meaningfully over at Zuko. "I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances."

Jet looked curiously between Iroh and Zuko before turning his attention to Lan. "What about you, kid? You ever done something you're not proud of?"

Lan thought for a moment. "Nope. Not even when a stuck the eel in Lee's pillow."

"So that was you!" Zuko shouted, poking Lan roughly in the forehead. "You're going to pay for that."

Iroh smiled as Zuko and Lan began playfully fighting with each other. It had been a long time since he'd seen his nephew and his granddaughter happy like that. He shook his head as Jet looked at him questioningly.

As soon as she was finished eating, Lan curled up with her head in Zuko's lap and fell asleep. Zuko ran his fingers through her hair absentmindedly, much like he had done when Lan was much smaller to soothe her after a nightmare.

"So, what's she to you?" Jet asked curiously as he got comfortable.

Zuko looked down at Lan. "She's my cousin." He said softly after a beat. "Her mother died giving birth to her and her father was killed in the war. She never got to see either of them."

Lan could vaguely hear the people around her talking as she drifted off to sleep. Again, the woman with the mask was waiting for her. She lifted up her mask just to reveal brightly painted lips as she spoke quickly and quietly to Lan. Lan couldn't understand what the woman was saying and she shouted to the woman, but her voice was lost among the screaming wind around them.

When Lan woke up, her head was resting on her own sitting pillow and Zuko's as well. She looked over to see Iroh snoring loudly and Smellerbee and Longshot sleeping close beside each other. She sat up when she realized Zuko wasn't anywhere to be seen. She got up and wandered over to the front of the ship and found him talking to Jet. Yawning, Lan went over to Zuko and hugged him around his waist. The morning mist made it difficult to see anything in front of them. "Are we there yet?"

Zuko cracked a small smile. "Almost." He frowned at the worried look on Lan's face. Completely ignoring Jet now, he knelt in front of Lan. "Everything okay?"

Lan quickly smiled and hugged Zuko around his neck. "Yeah. Just a strange dream."


	22. Ba Sing Se

**itachi-sister: I can't reveal who the woman is yet. Lan should meet back up with Aang and the others soon…ish**

**AvatarCat11: Um…I did congratulate you. I said congrats on graduating and then mentioned MY little sister just graduated as well.**

**Sakura02: Lol, it's okay. I forget she hadn't met Jet until now too. But now…he just won't go away!**

**Shifuni: Thank you**

**Princesa de la Luna: Thank you**

Lan tried her best not to stare at the Customs Lady's large, hairy mole as the woman eyed their papers suspiciously. She clutched tightly to Zuko's hand and did her best to hide from the woman's angry scowl.

"So, we have a Mr. Lee, Mr. Mushy, and Ms. Shu." The woman sighed irritably as the three nodded.

Iroh grinned. "Actually, it's pronounced Moo-shee."

The woman snarled at him. "You trying to tell me how to do my job?"

Lan whimpered and hid even further behind Zuko. "She's scary." She whispered.

"Oh no, of course not." Iroh said, the grin never leaving his face. "May I just say, that your beauty is as intoxicating as a flower in bloom."

Lan gagged when the woman actually meowed at Iroh. "Grown ups are disgusting."

Zuko nodded his head in agreement, snatching his and Lan's papers from Iroh as he walked over. "I'm going to pretend like I never saw that." He led Lan towards the towards the waiting area where they would depart for Ba Sing Se. "You doing okay?"

Lan nodded. "I'm a little hungry."

"We'll get food as soon as we get to the city, okay?" Zuko glanced up as Jet walked over to the trio.

"So, you guys have any plans once you enter the city?" Jet asked.

"Get food." Lan answered plainly, her stomach growling loudly to emphasize her point.

Jet chuckled and ruffled Lan's hair. He turned his attention to Zuko. "Can I speak to you…alone." He added when he saw Lan's grip on Zuko tighten.

Zuko sighed and disentangled his hand from Lan's. "Wait here. I'll be right back. Make sure he stays out of trouble." He motioned over to Iroh who was currently whining that the tea he had just bought was too cold.

Lan pouted, but complied. She went over to sit by Iroh. "We'll find you good tea when we get to Ba Sing Se." Lan consoled. She perked up as Zuko walked back over. She waved at Jet and frowned when he glared hostilely at them. "What's wrong with Jet?"

Zuko looked back at Jet as the Freedom Fighter stormed off. Zuko looked at Iroh and his eyes widened. He smacked the now steaming cup of tea out of Iroh's hand. "I told you to watch him!"

Lan flinched, unsure what had just happened. "I'm sorry."

Zuko turned his irritation on Iroh. "What are you doing firebending your tea? For someone that's supposed to be a wise old man, that was a really stupid move."

Iroh sniffled. "My tea…"

"It'll be okay." Lan tried to reassure Zuko whom was still seething. She reached out and lightly touched his hand, relieved when he held her hand.

"Let's go." Zuko said as the train pulled into the station. He yanked Lan along behind him and made sure Iroh stayed close beside him as they boarded the train.

Lan glanced over her shoulder one last time and swore she saw Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot boarding a few cars behind them. She couldn't be sure, though due to the large crowd. She sat in Iroh's lap and perked up when she saw the couple next to them with a tiny baby girl in the woman's arms. "She's cute."

The woman smiled wide. "Thank you. Her name is Hope. Would you like to hold her?" She asked when she saw Lan staring at Hope with wide eyes.

Lan looked to Iroh for permission. When he nodded, she held her arms out and allowed the woman to put the tiny baby in her arms. Lan smiled as the tiny baby giggled at her. It was amazing to her that she had once been so tiny.

The rest of the ride to Ba Sing Se was uneventful. Lan held Hope the rest of the way while Iroh chatted to the parents and Zuko simply sulked in his seat. The train ride was over before Lan knew it. Iroh and her bid Hope and her family goodbye while Zuko waited impatiently for Iroh and Lan to start moving.

Zuko grabbed Lan's hand as soon as they started pushing their way through the large crowd of people towards their new home in the refugee area of the large city. Iroh had gone on ahead to secure them a home and to try and find them jobs. "Stay close to me." Zuko said.

Lan nodded, staying as close to Zuko as physically possible. She was awed by all the sights, smells, and noises coming at her from all sides. She grinned as Iroh suddenly appeared beside them, a vase of pretty orange flowers in his hands. She grabbed Iroh's hand as well. "How'd it go, Grandpa?"

Iroh beamed and plucked one of the flowers from the vase to put in Lan's hair. "Well, I bought these lovely flowers to decorate our new home. You know, just in case a certain someone wants to bring a lady friend home." He grinned over at Zuko who simply groaned in annoyance.

"This city isn't our home; it's a prison. I don't want to make a new life here." Zuko hissed.

Lan frowned and squeezed Zuko's hand. "Don't say that, please."

Zuko sighed at the hopeful look on Lan's face and closed his mouth.

"Come on now, you two. I found us a new job and we start his afternoon!" Iroh said, an excited twinkle in his eyes.

Lan wasn't surprised at all when she found herself inside a simple tea shop with a simple apron over her kimono. Iroh and Zuko stood on either side of her with matching aprons. Lan giggled as Iroh tried to tie his apron together in vain. "You're getting fatter, Grandpa."

Iroh laughed boisterously. "You wouldn't happen to have an apron in a larger size."

The owner smiled and nodded. "We have extra string in the back. Have some tea while you wait."

Iroh gratefully took the cup of tea that the owner offered him. He grimaced as the liquid slid down his throat. "Disgusting! This taste like nothing more than hot leaf juice!"

Lan raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that all that tea is?"

Zuko nodded in agreement. "She's got a point."

Iroh looked at his nephew and granddaughter in horror. "To think two of my own family would say such a horrendous thing about tea! We'll have to make some serious changes around here!"

The rest of the day was a blur to Lan. She and Zuko were busy serving tea to the thirsty customers while Iroh changed all the tea recipes which greatly pleased the owner. By the time the sun had gone down and they were settling into their new apartment, Lan was completely exhausted. She curled up on her small pallet while Iroh attempted to make a pot of tea.

Iroh frowned thoughtfully. "That's strange…have either of you seen our spark rocks?"

"No." Zuko growled out. "Do you really have to make tea? I'm sick of tea."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that." Iroh sniffed. He left and returned moments later, a huge grin on his face. "Our neighbors leant us theirs. Such nice people."

Lan smiled and closed her eyes, deciding she would rest for a bit before dinner was served. She awoke hours later to find Zuko and Iroh sleeping on either side of her on their own pallets. She wiped the tears from her eyes and crawled over to Zuko, shaking his shoulders. "Zuko." She whimpered softly.

Zuko groaned and reluctantly opened his eyes. He straightened when he saw Lan crying. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Lan shook her head. "I had a bad dream." She crawled under the covers beside Zuko and snuggled close to his side. "I saw this man die. I think he was my daddy…"

Zuko didn't know what to say, so he simply held Lan closer and kissed her head. "Go back to sleep." He waited until he felt Lan's breath evening out before he too fell back to sleep.

"Here you go, Sir." Lan smiled at the officer as she handed him a cup of steaming hot tea.

The officer took a sip and grinned as Iroh came by. "This is the best tea in the whole city!"

Iroh beamed. "The secret ingredient is love!"

Zuko rolled his eyes. He watched Lan closely as she flitted from table to table, making sure everyone's cups of tea were full. When he had tried to talk to Lan about her dream in the morning, she had looked at him as though he were crazy. She had been smiling and happy all day, showing no indication of having remembered anything from the night before.

Everyone looked up as Jet suddenly slammed the door of the tea shop open, pointing an accusing finger at Lan, Zuko, and Iroh. "I can't take this anymore! Those three are firebenders!"

Lan's eyes widened in horror. She looked quickly over to Iroh who smiled reassuringly at her. Lan composed herself, grabbing Zuko's hand as everyone turned their eyes between the three of them and Jet.

"I saw that old man heating his tea!" Jet continued angrily.

The officer Lan had just served raised an eyebrow. "He works at a tea shop…"

Lan flinched as Jet drew his two hooked swords. She blinked as Zuko pushed her behind him. "Z…Lee?"

"I'm telling you, they're firebenders!" Jet insisted, pointing his hooked swords at them.

"Don't point those at her!" Zuko hissed.

The officer stood up, a frown on his face. "Drop your sword, boy."

Jet ignored the officer and moved towards them. "You'll have to defend yourselves and then everyone will see what you really are."

Zuko stepped forward, anger clear on his face. He stopped the officer from drawing his double broadswords and instead unsheathed them himself. "I told you to quit pointing those at my cousin!"

Lan couldn't help screaming as Jet and Zuko began fighting in the teahouse. Iroh held Lan close to him as Zuko and Jet's fight moved outside the teahouse. "Grandpa, I'm scared."

Iroh held Lan close to him as they pushed through the worried crowd to stand in the doorway. "It'll be all right. Your cousin is an excellent fighter." Iroh frowned as Zuko and Jet continued their fight outside. "Son, you're confused. Please stop this! You don't know what you're doing."

"Please stop fighting!" Lan shouted desperately. She wasn't worried about Zuko losing. She knew her cousin was a strong fighter. What worried her more was whether this would be a repeat of the village where Lee and his family had been. The opponents Zuko had been against that time were nowhere near as refined of fighters as Jet was and he had had to use his firebending to beat them.

Zuko glanced over at Lan and Iroh. He could see the worry on Lan's face and sighed. He made a silent promise to her that this time wouldn't be like the last fight. He turned back to Jet and swung at him.

Jet sneered at Zuko as he knocked one of Zuko's swords out of his hand. "Wishing the brat or the old man would help you out with a fire blast right now?"

Zuko snarled at him and disarmed one of Jet's own swords. The two were both down to one sword each. "You're the one that needs help."

"Drop your weapons!" A group of soldiers appeared suddenly, pushing through the crowd that had formed around the fight.

Both Zuko and Jet stepped away from each other. While Zuko obediently lowered his sword, Jet pointed his at Zuko and Iroh and Lan standing behind Zuko. "Those guys are firebenders. Arrest them!"

Iroh smiled and hugged the trembling Lan close to his side. "The poor boy is confused. We are simple refugees. Now, Shu, there's no need to be frightened."

Lan wasn't trembling because of Jet anymore. There was something about the soldiers that troubled Lan. She nodded and scooted further back behind Iroh.

"This young man ransacked my shop and attacked my employees!" The teahouse owner howled.

The officer that Lan had served came up and put a comforting hand on Lan's head. "It's true, Sir. I saw the whole thing. That young man attacked the best tea maker in the whole city!"

Iroh blushed and beamed. "Now, you're being too kind."

"Come with us, Son." One of the soldiers stepped forward and placed his hand on Jet's shoulder and led him kicking and screaming toward a wagon used to transport criminals.

Lan shrank as far back behind Iroh as she could when the other soldier came over and knelt beside her.

The solider smiled and patted her head. "You're safe now, Little Girl. There's no need to be scared.

Lan said nothing and simply nodded her head. As soon as the soldiers had left with the wagon, she rushed over to Zuko and hugged him. "Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "I'm fine. You worry too much." He sighed when Lan pouted up at him. "It's been a long day. Let's go home."

Lan perked up as Zuko held her hand and led her towards their home. She didn't bother pointing out to him that he had called their little apartment 'home'.


	23. Lu Ten

**Sakura02: Yeah, I didn't notice that either until I started writing the chapters. And yes, Jet is a super tool. He needs a cape XD**

**Moonlitdaze: Don't worry! I won't stop writing this story until it's over! I hope you continue to enjoy Lan's escapades!**

**Thank you: AvatarCat11, Shifuni, and Hannah for reviewing!**

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"Grandpa, what are we doing here?" Lan asked curiously, looking around the large market place with wide eyes. She had never been in such a place before. The sound of children playing mingled with the sound of a woman shrieking furiously at husband. The smells were what really got Lan. She'd never smelled such delicious and wonderful smells in one place. The smell of fresh baked bread danced along the air with the smell of soft perfumes and roasting meats.

Iroh simply smiled at her as he stopped at one of the stalls to purchase a basket. "It is a surprise, Lan. Keep up with me now." He took her hand and tugged her lightly along through the market. "You have your flute?"

Lan nodded, clutching her tiny case with her flute in side tight to her chest. She had no idea what her grandfather had planned for the day. Zuko had decided to stay behind and help around the teashop that day and had declined to intrude on Iroh's and Lan's day together. She waited obediently by Iroh's side as he stared curiously at some liuqins, a string instrument he often played for Lan when they had still been on the ship. A tight pain lanced through her chest as she thought of Lieutenant Jee and the others. She wondered if they were safe and happy wherever they were. She was torn from her thoughts at the sound of a child crying caught her attention.

Iroh heard the small boy crying. He purchased one of the liuqins and began playing Lan's favorite song on it. _"__Leaves from the vine, falling so slow. Like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy, come marching home. Brave soldier boy, comes marching home."_

Lan giggled quietly as the boy stopped crying and yanked on Iroh's beard. She watched wistfully as the mother walked off with her son. She sometimes wondered how different her life would have been if her mother hadn't died giving birth to her or if her father hadn't died in the war. She was sure her mother would've been kind and loving, just as Ursa had been to her. Lan knew her father would've been a stern but kind father. Her grandfather had always told her about excited Lu Ten had been to get home to see his wife and child. She wondered if he would've loved her or been disappointed that she wasn't a boy.

"Come along now, Lan." Iroh said softly, taking Lan's hand in his again and resuming his trek to who knew where.

Lan didn't say much as they continued walking. She simply enjoyed taking in the sights of Ba Sing Se. It was one of the most beautiful cities she'd ever been to. To her, it was even more beautiful than the Fire Nation palace, though she wondered if that was more due to Lan's rather unpleasant memories that were still held within those walls, along with the happier memories.

She yelped as Iroh suddenly pulled her aside. A ball flew right above her head and tore through a paper window behind her and Iroh. She glared at the boys that walked nervously over. "You should be more careful." She chastised, one hand planted firmly on her hip while the other still held Iroh's.

Iroh chuckled and squeezed Lan's hand. He turned to the boys that were all looking at him with wide eyes. "It is usually best to admit to ones mistakes and seek to restore honor…"

A man's large and furious face suddenly appeared in the hole. "When I get through with you brats, this window isn't going to be the only thing broken!"

"I don't think that's going to work this time, Grandpa." Lan said quickly.

Iroh nodded in agreement. "Run, boys!" The boys ran in one direction while Iroh tugged Lan off in the opposite direction. He finally stopped in a small alley so they could catch their breath. He grinned down at her. "Nothing like a run to get the heart pumping."

Lan was about to retort when a man suddenly appeared, pointing a rather pitiful dagger at him. Lan raised an eyebrow at his odd, bow legged stance. "What are you doing?"

"Give me all your money and valuables now!" The mugger said, though he didn't sound very intimidating.

Iroh shook his head. "You're going to mug us with that stance? You're completely off balance and can be easily disarmed." To prove his point, Iroh grabbed the man's arm and knocked the dagger out of his hands before then pushing the man to the ground. He held his hand out to the man to help him up. "With a solid stance, you are much more of a threat and even more intimidating."

Lan watched curiously as her grandfather showed the would-be mugger the proper fighting stance. It took a few tries for the man to get it right. "You don't do this very often, do you."

Iroh nodded in agreement. "Indeed, you do not seem the criminal type."

The man sighed and sagged against the wall beside them. "I know…I'm…I'm just so confused right now."

"Lan, pour some tea." Iroh said, sitting down and motioning for the man to do the same.

Lan pulled the tea cups and tea fixings out of the basket Iroh had just bought. She listened quietly as the man explained all his woes and hopes and dreams to Iroh. She gave him a small smile as she handed him a cup before giving Iroh one and then sitting beside him to drink her own. "So, you want to be a masseur?"

The man nodded enthusiastically. "It's always been my dream."

"I'm sure you'll make a fine masseur." Iroh said. "It'll take time and hard work, but I have no doubt in time you'll be the best in Ba Sing Se."

The man's eyes lit up. "You really think so?" When Iroh and Lan gave him an affirmative nod, the man had to wipe tears of joy from his eyes. "No one has ever believed in my dream before."

"While it is always best to believe in ones self, a little help from others can be a great blessing." Iroh said sagely. The three finished their tea and then went their separate ways.

"Will you tell me what we're doing here?" Lan asked softly as she took in her surroundings. They were on a hill within the city. A single tall oak tree stood at the top of the hill and that was where Iroh had finally stopped. The sun was setting and a warm breeze gently blew the leaves clinging to the branches about. In Lan's opinion, it was one of the most beautiful places in all of Ba Sing Se. There was a sense of tranquility that one couldn't find in the hustle and bustle of the city. Lan cocked her head to the side as Iroh knelt on his knees and made a small pile of rocks at the base of the tree before then pulling things out of the basket that she hadn't noticed before. "What're you doing, Grandpa?"

Iroh smiled shakily up at Lan. "Please, Lan, come sit by me."

Lan obeyed. She'd never seen her grandfather like this before. When she looked at what Iroh had made at the base of the tree, though, she understood. A picture of her father rested on top of the small pile of rocks. Iroh had carefully placed a small blanket in front of the memorial and put some apples, incense, and a closed bag. Lan reached out and placed her hand on the picture of father's face. Slowly, thoughts and realizations sank in for her. They were in the city that her father had fought and died to try and conquer. She was in the city her father had wished to enter. Even though she'd never known him, she'd often dreamed of Lu Ten and her mother. She would dream of what their lives would've been like together. Those were always the best dreams for Lan. She blinked as she felt Iroh wiping tears away she hadn't realized had begun spilling.

Iroh gave her a small smile before turning to the memorial. "Happy Birthday, my son. If only…if only I could have helped you…"

Lan pulled her flute out, her eyes never leaving the picture of Lu Ten. The picture blurred as her tears continued pouring. "I hope you and mother can hear this, Father." She began playing a soft and sad melody on her flute. She poured everything she was feeling into her playing, even as her fingers trembled as her tears continued.

Iroh began to sing for the second time that day. _"__Leaves from the vine, falling so slow. Like fragile, tiny shells, drifting in the foam. Little soldier boy, come marching home. Brave soldier boy, comes marching home."_ His voice broke as he stopped singing, his tears pouring freely now. He blinked as Lan was suddenly hugging him, her flute lying next to her. He hugged his granddaughter close and the two cried together. "I'm so sorry, Lan. Because of my foolishness, you will never know your father."

Lan shook her head. "Please don't say that. I love you and Zuko so much. I'm grateful to just have the two of you."

The two sat under the tree, holding each other until the sun had completely sank beneath the horizon. Iroh finally took a deep breath and stood up. "I suppose we should be going home now. Zuko is probably getting worried."

Lan nodded. She helped Iroh collect everything before they began making their trek down the hill. Lan's eyes widened when they got to the bottom and she realized she had forgotten something very important at the top of the hill. "My flute!"

"I'll come with you!" Iroh shouted up at his granddaughter who was already halfway up the hill.

"No, it's okay!" Lan shouted back. "I'll be right back." She knew exactly where she left it. Even in the dark, it shouldn't be too difficult to find. Lan ran up to the top of the hill and suddenly stopped short.

There was a man standing where her flute was. He was looking down at the ground, so Lan couldn't see his face very well. Beside the man stood a rather beautiful woman, who was also looking down as well. When they heard Lan's footsteps, the two turned their faces up to look at her, gentle smiles on both their faces.

Lan sucked in a breath. They were completely transparent, making it difficult to see their features in the dark. She didn't need to see their faces, though, to know who they were. She'd known as soon as she'd seen the Fire Nation armor the man wore and the gorgeous red and gold dress the woman wore. Slowly, Lan approached the two. "Mom…Dad…"

Meilin clasped her hands over her mouth and nodded her head. Lan couldn't be sure, but she swore sparkling trails of tears were rolling down her mother's cheeks. Her mother was more beautiful in person than she'd ever been in any of the portraits of her Lan had seen. Lu Ten reached out when Lan was close enough and gently touched her cheek. Instead of feeling the warmth of his hand touching her, all Lan felt was a cold wind. Lan reached up in vain to try and grab his hand and hold it to her face longer, but all she touched was cold air.

Lu Ten looked down at his daughter sadly. He opened his mouth to say something, but pulled himself up short. He was glaring at something over Lan's shoulder. His fist were balled at his sides as he began shouting wordlessly.

Lan looked over her shoulder and gasped. The woman with the mask was standing only a few yards away. The woman had been reaching out to her. Lu Ten and Meilin rushed at the woman, leaving Lan to watch as they both grabbed the woman and the three suddenly disappeared. Lan stood there for another moment before grabbing her flute and sprinting down the hill. She didn't say anything to Iroh despite all his questions as to why she looked so pale.

They walked back to their home in silence only to find Zuko was already sound asleep. Lan wasn't very hungry and went straight to her pallet to sleep. Despite the sudden appearance of the masked woman, Lan's heart felt light and heavy all at the same time. She'd gotten to see her parents. They had smiled at her and it made Lan's heart soar from the love she'd felt in that single smile and ache at the thought of everything she had never known. She cried herself to sleep that night, a mixture of happy and sad tears.

She was sound asleep when the ghosts of Lu Ten and Meilin appeared beside her pallet. Lu Ten smiled over at the room divider that separated Lan from Iroh before turning his full attention to his daughter. He attempted to move a wisp of hair from Lan's face and smiled sadly when it didn't move. He looked up at Meilin who was once again crying as she reached out to touch her daughter. Both spirits stilled as the little girl turned over onto her back, but remained asleep. Meilin and Lu Ten smiled sadly at each other before leaning down and placing cold insubstantial kisses that they knew their daughter would never feel on either of her cheeks. Meilin disappeared almost immediately after that. Lu Ten lingered a moment longer, staring at the face of his daughter he had never gotten to hold. He leaned down and whispered quietly to Lan, making her smile and more tears to fall from her eyes.

"Daddy…" Lan whispered in her sleep.

Lu Ten smiled and slowly faded away into the night wind, leaving only his words behind.

_"I'm sorry, Lan. I wish I could've been here to see you grow up, to see your first steps and hear your first words. You're more beautiful then I could have ever dreamed you would be. I'm proud to call you my daughter and I know you will grow to be a wonderful young woman. Thank you for the song earlier. It was by fr the best gift I have ever recieved. I love you with all my heart, my beautiful little orchid."_


	24. Appa

**AvatarCat11: The one from Lion King? I love that song! I actually listened to the song Lucy by Skillet. It's a really sad song…**

**Sakura02: I don't think I've ever told you who the masked woman is…I tell you next time we hang out…which should be soon since Harry Potter comes out today! And now I have the terrifying image of Tobi in a dress in my head…**

**chaebin: Yes, I think Lu Ten and Meilin will show up a few more times now. I hadn't initially planned out that whole ending, but I rather liked it.**

**Thank you: April Marciano, Hannah, BANEHiwatari, Moonlitdaze, Wolf, Mary, and Shifuni for reviewing!**

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Lan sighed tiredly as she cleaned off another table. It had been a few days since she and Iroh had gone to the hill together and she'd seen the ghosts of her parents. Most of it felt like a dream to her now and she wondered if any of it had even happened. She glanced up from her work when she heard a man talking to Iroh. She couldn't hear what they were exactly saying, but she could hear the excited note in Iroh's voice. She blinked as Zuko suddenly walked by her, clear irritation on his face. She winced as he shut the door to the tea shop behind him a little harder than necessary. Lan wasn't able to dwell on what had Zuko so irritated as Iroh suddenly came over and picked her up, spinning her around and grinning with joy. "What's going on, Grandpa?"

"We're getting our own teashop!" Iroh shouted, clearly elated.

They left the teashop shortly after that. Iroh turned in his apron, as did Lan. They didn't see Zuko anywhere on their way home nor was he at the apartment when they got back. Iroh reassured Lan that Zuko would turn up eventually. The two set about packing up the small apartment. They didn't have much to pack and were almost done when Zuko finally showed back up.

Zuko barely acknowledged Lan's hug. He placed a hand on her head and then pulled a leaflet out from his jacket. "The Avatar is here in the city."

Lan flinched when she saw the leaflet. She hadn't realized Appa was missing. Silently, she hoped that Appa was all right, wherever he was and that Aang and the others would find him soon. "Let's just leave them alone, Zuko." She said quietly, ducking her head down in order to avoid Zuko's gaze.

Iroh looked thoughtfully at his nephew before speaking in a quiet, soothing voice. "Zuko, we have a new chance at life here. If you start stirring up trouble, all these good things we've had happen could disappear."

"They're only good for you." Zuko snapped impatiently, pacing over to the window. He stared out at the bustling city of Ba Sing Se, not really seeing any of it. "Did you ever think that I want a life of more than just a nice apartment and serving tea?"

"There's nothing wrong with this life." Lan said quietly. Quite frankly, she was enjoying her life in Ba Sing Se. It was nice to finally be able to relax and not constantly worry about Azula popping up out of nowhere to attack them. She'd made good friends with a few of the local children and when she wasn't working, she loved going out to play with the other kids her age. It'd been the first time since Ursa had disappeared that Lan truly felt like a child.

"I want my destiny." Zuko snapped.

Iroh glanced up from his packing. "What your destiny means is up to you." He let out a long sigh as Zuko stormed out of the room. He smiled reassuringly over at Lan and beckoned her over. As soon as he had his granddaughter in his arms, Iroh hugged her and kissed her head. "It will be all right, Lan. He won't leave again."

"How do you know?" Lan asked quietly. It had been her silent and greatest fear ever since she and Zuko had split up from Iroh for those brief few weeks. She was afraid that she'd wake up one day and that Zuko would be gone, still bent on capturing the Avatar and gaining his father's approval.

Lan went to sleep that night, still troubled by what had happened that day. She hadn't been asleep for very long when she heard the sound of the door silently opening and closing. She sat up straight and immediately scrambled over to Zuko's pallet, only to find him gone. A small cry tore from her throat. By the time she'd rushed over to Iroh's pallet, she'd tripped multiple times and her grandfather was already up and getting dressed. "Grandpa, Zuko is…Zuko has…"

"I know, Lan." Iroh said softly, a reassuring smile on his face. "Get dressed and we shall go after him."

Lan obeyed, dressing as quickly as she could. She fumbled with the buttons on her new green dress as tears blurred her eyes. Her nightmare was coming true. Iroh had to take her hand and lead her out of the apartment. Lan wasn't sure where they were going. It was so dark that even with the few street lights lit, it was difficult to see. The moon and stars were shrouded behind dark clouds. They had been walking for what felt like hours when Iroh suddenly pulled them to a stop just before a lake. A stone tunnel led down into the bottom of the lake and Lan was fairly certain that it was not naturally created. "Where are we, Grandpa?" She asked softly. She had a bad feeling about this place.

Iroh looked around before leading Lan down the tunnel. He seemed to know where he was going and so Lan simply jogged to keep up with his quick strides. The two walked in complete silence, slipping into the shadows whenever a soldier passed by. They passed cell after cell before Iroh finally led her over to a cell that's door was wide open. Lan's eyes opened wide when she saw who was standing there. "Zuko?" She asked, uncertainly. She jumped as Iroh closed the door behind them. She looked behind Zuko for the first time and gasped when she saw what was there. "Appa!"

The bison rumbled low in it's throat and lowered it's head. Lan rushed passed Zuko and went straight to Appa. She ran her fingers through his fur and rubbed his nose. "Oh, Appa, I'm so glad you're okay. They didn't hurt you, did they?"

"Uncle? Lan? What are you doing here?" Zuko asked, looking hesitantly between Iroh who hadn't moved at all and Lan who was hugging Appa's face as he cautiously removed his Blue Spirit mask.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing." Iroh said, his face and voice cool, revealing no emotion whatsoever. "What do you plan to do with the Avatar's bison now that you have him? Is he going to stay in our new apartment with us? I suppose I should make an extra cup of tea for him."

Lan flinched and buried her face in Appa's fur as Zuko and Iroh began shouting at each other. She hated when they fought. They always spoke so angrily, so harshly. She blinked as Appa suddenly licked her face. She smiled sadly up at Appa. "I'll make sure you get back to Aang, I promise."

"I know my own destiny, Uncle!" Zuko shouted angrily, his swords hanging limply in one hand and his Blue Spirit mask in the other.

Iroh glared at him, not relenting in the slightest. "Is it your own destiny or one that someone else has forced upon you?"

"Stop, please, Uncle." Zuko said, a tinge of desperation entering into his voice. He turned towards Appa and Lan. "I have to do this."

Lan stood protectively in front of Appa, trying her best to cover as much of the giant bison as she could with her tiny body. "You don't have to do this." She pleaded, searching Zuko's eyes desperately with her own. "You aren't the kind of person that would hurt an innocent creature like Appa. You try and act mean and scary, but you aren't. You're really a gentle and nice person, Zuko. Please don't hurt Appa."

Iroh saw how Zuko was now hesitating. "Prince Zuko, it's time that you looked inward and started asking yourself the important questions in life; who are you and what do _you_ want."

Zuko's eyes flickered from Iroh, to Lan, to Appa, and then down to the swords and mask in his hands. With a cry of sheer frustration, Zuko threw down the swords and mask, letting out an anguished scream, no longer knowing who he was or what he wanted. He stopped as he felt a warm, tiny body hugging him tightly around his waist. He looked down and found Lan there, her face buried in his stomach and her eyes squeezed shut. Gently, he placed a hand on her head. "Lan…"

"It's okay, Zuko." Lan said softly, never opening her eyes. "I know it's scary to try and picture your life without trying to capture the Avatar. No matter what you decide, I'll always stay by your side. I'll help you find yourself however I can." She let out a surprised gasp as Zuko picked her up and hugged her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and almost cried. It'd been so long since Zuko had given her such a loving hug. "Please, let Appa go." She finally said quietly.

Zuko nodded and put her down. With Iroh and Lan's help they managed to release Appa from his restraints. Lan smiled as Appa shook himself. She approached him and kissed the top of his nose. "Go find Aang." She smiled as Appa crouched down before shooting up into the air to break through the high ceiling of the underground lake base.

"We need to leave now." Iroh said, quickly taking Lan's hand and tugging her along, Zuko close behind them.

When they came back out, Lan had to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight. She hadn't realized how long they'd been underground. A yawn tore from her mouth as Iroh and Zuko pulled themselves from the entrance as well. The three of them stood on the dock that led to the entrance of the base. Lan noticed how intently Zuko was staring at his Blue Spirit mask in his hand. Gently, she rested against his side. "Can we go home now, Zuko?"

"Let it go, Zuko." Iroh urged. "You did the right thing back there."

Zuko stared at the mask for another beat before letting it slip through his fingers and fall into the lake. He took Lan's hand and almost smiled as she sleepily rubbed her eyes. "Let's get you to bed. We've got a long day of moving ahead of us."


	25. Fever

**Sakura02: Our childhood is officially over! :(**

**Thanks: Shifuni, Moonlitdaze, IamMai123, and AvatarCat11 for reviewing!**

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Lan dashed over to her bed as soon as Iroh opened the door to their apartment. She was completely exhausted and wanted nothing more than to curl up and go back to sleep. She glanced up worriedly when she heard Zuko groan weakly. "What's wrong…Zuko!" Lan screamed as Zuko suddenly collapsed to the ground, his face pale and drawn. She rushed over to his side as Iroh was already checking him for any injuries. "What's wrong with him, Grandpa?"

Iroh frowned as he put a hand on Zuko's forehead. "He's got a fever. A bad one. Lan, go fill a bowl with cool water and get a clean cloth."

Lan didn't need to be told twice. She scurried into the small kitchen and filled a large bowl nearly to the brim with cool water. She nearly tripped and fell as she ran over to Zuko's bed where Iroh was securely tucking Zuko in. As soon as she'd put the bowl down, she ran off to find a cloth. Once she came back with the cloth, she carefully dunked it in the water and rung it out before placing it across Zuko's forehead.

"Get some sleep, Lan." Iroh said patiently when he realized Lan had no intention of moving from Zuko's side anytime soon. He frowned when Lan stubbornly shook her head. "Do as I say, Lan. You'll do him no good if you're exhausted and get sick too."

Lan hesitated for a moment. "Wake me up when he wakes up." As soon as she had gotten an affirmative nod from Iroh, Lan went over to her own pallet and fell asleep almost instantly.

Her dreams were strange and muddled that night. Images flashed through her mind, images that seemed so familiar and so foreign all at the same time. When she woke up, all she remembered was her mother crying and the woman with the mask reaching out towards her. It took her a moment to realize what had woken her up so suddenly. "Zuko, what are you doing up? You should be resting."

Zuko stood shakily beside Lan's pallet for a moment before slowly laying himself down beside her. He hugged her tightly and said nothing for a while. "Lan," he whispered, his voice hoarse from lack of use and the fever. "what's my destiny? Who am I?"

Lan was silent for a moment. She could feel Zuko was still feverish despite his trembling. She stroked his back soothingly before speaking slowly. "You're destiny is whatever you decide you want it to be. You are who you want yourself to be. Nobody can tell you; not me, not Grandpa, and not your father. You have to figure it out for yourself."

Zuko managed a weak chuckle. "Why is it that you're only seven and you sound so much wiser than everyone else."

"It's a gift." Lan said lightly. She began stroking Zuko's hair and humming softly. "You need to go back to sleep. We're moving tomorrow." She looked up when Zuko didn't respond only to find her cousin sound asleep. She leaned up and kissed his cheek before snuggling back into him. "Sweet dreams, Zuko."

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It had been a couple days since Zuko had fallen ill with his fever and they were now moved into their new apartment. It was far more spacious than their original one, with actual individual rooms instead of the two small rooms they had originally had. Lan had been excited to actually have her own room in what felt like forever.

Lan was sitting at the table waiting for Iroh to finish making breakfast. She sniffed disdainfully at the white pasty looking substance that Iroh was currently stirring. "I hate jook." Lan pouted, wrinkling her nose.

"You'll eat it or you'll go hungry until lunch." Iroh said firmly.

Lan was about to retort when Zuko came walking to the room sleepily. She instantly perked up and grinned at her cousin. "Good morning, Zuko. You look well this morning."

Zuko nodded sleepily before yawning. He glanced curiously down at the pot that Iroh was stirring. "What is that?"

"It's jook." Lan answered. "It's gross. You won't like it."

Zuko sniffed the air wafting from the bowl before smiling at Iroh. "Actually, it smells delicious. I'd like a bowl, please." Zuko said, picking up a two bowls and holding them out. "You need to eat some too, Lan. I'm sure you'll like it if you try it."

Lan looked suspiciously at her cousin as he came over to sit beside her and hand her the bowl full of jook he'd gotten for her. She looked between the bowl and then back at Zuko who was actually smiling.

Zuko blinked as a finger was suddenly pointed accusingly in his face. "What's wrong, Lan?"

"Who are you and what have you done with my cousin?" Lan shouted accusingly.

"You're so weird." Zuko ruffled Lan's hair affectionately.

"You have been rather different since your fever broke." Iroh said slowly.

Zuko smiled at both his cousin and his uncle. "It's a new day. We've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today is the grand opening of your tea shop, Uncle. Things are finally starting to look up."

While Iroh smiled and went back to fixing his own bowl of jook, Lan continued to look at Zuko with curious suspicion. While she was glad he was no longer the anguished angry teenager before the fever, she wasn't sure what to make of this new, overly happy Zuko. She didn't have much time to dwell on it, though, as it was the opening day of Iroh's new tea shop. They all quickly got dressed and headed off to the new tea shop.

Lan smiled as Zuko actually took her hand as they walked to the new tea shop. Even though Lan was unsure of the changes in Zuko, there were definitely some aspects of the new Zuko that she loved. She was brought out of her thoughts when she saw the extravagant tea shop for the first time. "Grandpa, it's beautiful." She gasped in awe.

There was a large fountain in front of the tea shop, the water sparkling as it shot up into the bright morning sky. The walls of the tea shop were painted a deep emerald green, like all the other buildings of the city. Lan hung back while Iroh instructed the employees on what to do. She stood between Iroh and Zuko, holding both their hands as people poured into the tea shop to try Iroh's famous tea.

Iroh's chest was swelled with pride as he looked down at his busy tea shop. "Who would've thought when we came here as refugees, I'd end up owning my own tea shop. Lan, Zuko, if you follow your passion in life, life will reward you."

"Congratulations, Uncle." Zuko beamed. "You really deserve this. The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the whole city." He surprised both Iroh and Lan when he suddenly pulled Iroh into a warm hug before then doing the same to Lan. "Now, let's make those people some tea."

Lan smiled as she began rushing around the shop serving tea. For the first time in her life, she felt truly happy. She wasn't afraid of them being attacked by Zhao or any of the others that despised her cousin, she wasn't worried about Zuko fighting Aang. Now that they weren't constantly on the run, Lan for the first time had time to think of what she wanted to do with her life. She loved playing the flute, but there was something else, something she hadn't even told Iroh or Zuko. She loved singing above everything else. She was too shy to sing in front of the others, but maybe now…

Before she knew it, the day was over and Lan was helping Zuko clean up the shop. It had been a busy, but fun day. Lan had met even more children her own age and Iroh had even allowed her a rather long break to play with them. Lan was humming quietly to herself when a messenger appeared at the door. "What is it, Grandpa?" Lan asked, coming over to be beside Iroh, Zuko close on her heels.

Iroh's face went from one of worry to one of wonder and excitement. "We've been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!"

Zuko and Lan smiled at each other as Iroh ran excitedly to the back of the shop. The two resumed sweeping up, but Lan couldn't shake the grin from her face. Finally, she felt like she was home.


	26. Betrayal

**I apologize for my random disappearance! I was working on my original novel and when I'm writing it, I have to focus everything on it. I've currently completed draft 3 of 6 and I'm very excited :) Thank you all for your patience and understanding!**

**Sakura02: Lol, I can't wait to get to that episode! Unfortunately, this chapter isn't going to be very happy…**

**Thank you: Hannah, AvatarCat11, Shifuni, Moonlitdaze, and BANEHiwatari for reviewing**

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Lan shifted nervously on her cushion between Zuko and Iroh in the Earth King's throne room. She'd been so excited that morning when she woke up. She'd put on her prettiest dress and even managed to put her hair into a very tiny ponytail with a green ribbon in it. They had ridden in a carriage to the palace and been escorted immediately to the throne room. They'd been there for close to an hour now and Lan was growing more and more impatient. "Where is he? Doesn't he know it's rude to keep guest waiting?"

Iroh chuckled and patted her head. "Perhaps the Earth King has overslept. Remember what I've taught you, Lan; patience is a virtue."

Zuko looked around suspiciously as several Dai Li agents suddenly appeared in the room. He instinctively shifted his body protectively in front of Lan. "Something's wrong."

Lan sucked in a breath as the sound of footsteps approaching echoed through the room. It wasn't the Earth King that entered. It was someone Lan had wished to never see again. "Azula." She breathed out.

Azula smirked at the three as Zuko shouted and stood up. "Hello, Uncle, ZuZu, dear sweet little Lan. Have you met the Dai Li agents yet? They're Earthbenders, but they have a killer instinct that is so like a Firebender. I simply love it."

Iroh smiled calmly and stood up, a cup of tea in his hand. He placed a comforting hand on Lan's trembling shoulder. "Did I ever tell you, Azula, about how I got the nickname 'Dragon of the West'?"

Azula sighed and looked at her nails, completely disinterested. "I'm really not interested in a long anecdote, Uncle."

"Well, it's not really an anecdote so much as a demonstration." Iroh said coolly, taking a sip of the tea.

Lan looked between her cousin and grandfather as Zuko gave Iroh a knowing smirk. When Iroh's gaze flickered down to her and he gave her a brief wink, Lan knew he was up to something. She immediately stood back to back with Iroh and Zuko as Iroh crouched down and spewed fire from his mouth.

"Time to go, Lan!" Zuko grabbed Lan's hand and blasted a hole in the wall. He ran through the hall, still holding onto Lan's hand while Iroh followed close behind, keeping the Dai Li at bay by breathing fire at them.

"Keep your head down!" Iroh shouted as the Dai Li agents shot stone bullets at them, barely missing them. Iroh rushed ahead of his nephew and granddaughter and blasted a hole into the wall just ahead of them. He leapt through the hole and fell two stories down onto a bear shaped hedge.

Lan tugged on Zuko's hand and frowned when he didn't budge. "Zuko, we've got to go."

Zuko shook his head stubbornly. "No, Lan. I'm tired of running. It's time for me to face Azula!" He gave Lan a quick hug before roughly shoving her out of hole.

Lan screamed as she fell, letting out a grunt as Iroh managed to catch her. "Grandpa…"

Iroh looked between his terrified granddaughter and back up where they had just escaped. He put Lan down on the ground and grabbed her hand. "Come on. We cannot help him on our own. He'll be okay."

Lan looked over her shoulder one last time. She couldn't see Zuko and the sounds of fighting were fading the further they got from the palace. "Please be okay, Zuko." The two ran and ran. "Grandpa, where are we going? What about Zuko?"

"I told you, we're getting help." Iroh said. Once they were far enough away, he stopped running, though his grip on Lan's hand never loosened. He didn't stop moving even when he heard her sniffling. "It's going to be okay, Lan. Dry your tears."

Lan nodded and quickly wiped her tears away with her sleeve. She looked behind her at the sound of someone running close behind them. She turned and saw a Dai Li agent close on their heels. She snarled at him and yanked her hand away from Iroh. Immediately, she crouched into a firebending stance and shot multiple balls of fire at the Dai Li agent, knocking him onto his back. She rushed over with Iroh close behind her and the two looked down at him. "What should we do with him, Grandpa?"

Iroh pulled a long handkerchief from his sleeve and tied it around the Dai Li's mouth so he couldn't scream for help and bound his hands and feet. "We'll take him with us." They continued running with Iroh dragging the poor Dai Li agent along.

Lan blinked as they suddenly stopped outside one of the many apartments in the upper ring. "Where are we?" She grinned when she saw who it was that answered the door. "Toph!"

"Lan?" Aang managed to gasp out as the little girl launched herself into his arms. "What are you doing here?" He noticed Iroh standing in the doorway with a serious look on his face and also, for the first time, noticed that Lan was crying. "What's he doing here? What's going on?"

"We need your help." Iroh said quietly. "May I come in?" When stepped in as Toph gave him a rather enthusiastic nod. "Azula is here in Ba Sing Se."

"She must have Katara!" Aang said, still holding Lan. Her crying had turned into sniffling, but since she hadn't let go quite yet, Aang simply patted her back comfortingly.

Sokka crouched down and poked Lan's cheek suspiciously. "Hey, evil Fire Nation kid, did you help her kidnap my sister?"

Lan glared at Sokka through her tears and bit the finger that was poking her. "I'm not evil!" She looked pleadingly up at Aang, her hands clinging tightly to the front of his shirt. "She's got Zuko too. Please, you've got to help us save him!"

Aang smiled warmly at Lan and hugged her. "Don't worry. We'll work together and save Katara and Zuko." His grin widened as Lan looked up at him with wide, grateful eyes and hugged him back.

Sokka looked between Aang and Iroh dubiously. "Uhhh…you lost me at Zuko."

Aang shot Sokka a dirty look as Lan began sniffling again. "Not only is Katara in trouble, all of Ba Sing Se is as well. Working together is our best chance at beating Azula."

Lan reached out and put a gentle hand on Sokka's arm when he reluctantly nodded. "Thank you. I know you don't like me and Zuko, but thank you."

Sokka managed a small smile for Lan before his face turned serious. "Where do we start looking for them, though? Ba Sing Se is kind of big in case you haven't noticed."

Iroh smirked. "I think I have someone who will help us." He led Aang's group out where the terrified Dai Li agent sat bound and gagged, his eyes wide as the group approached him.

Toph brought two stone slabs up on either side of the Dai Li agent so he had no way of escaping. "Start talking." She hissed.

"Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup to overthrow the Earth King." The Dai Li agent blurted out with no hesitation.

Sokka snarled and pointed his machete accusingly in the Dai Li agent's face. "Where are they keeping my sister?"

"In the crystal catacombs of old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace." The agent answered.

"Let's go." Aang led the group off, leaving the Dai Li agent behind. He led them to just outside the palace walls where Toph confirmed that there was indeed a city deep beneath them.

Sokka nodded slowly. "Aang, you go with Iroh and the evil Fire Nation kid to get Katara and the angry jerk back…no offense. Toph and I will go warn the Earth King."

Lan puffed her cheeks out and snarled at Sokka. "I'm not evil!" She stuck her tongue out at Sokka as Aang and Iroh led her over to the large hole Toph had made in the ground for them. The trio walked down the dark tunnel in silence for a while. Lan and Iroh both held flames in their hands to light the way. Lan looked over at Aang and saw he looked rather troubled. "What's wrong, Aang?"

Aang glanced at Lan first, then nervously over to Iroh. "Toph says you give good advice and make great tea." He said slowly, uncertainly.

Iroh smiled over at Aang. "The secret to both is proper aging. What is troubling you?"

Aang fidgeted nervously for a moment before speaking. "I met this Guru who was supposed to help me master the Avatar state. To do it, though, I had to let go of someone I love and I just couldn't do it."

Lan looked curiously at him. "It's Katara, isn't it?" She giggled at the bright blush on Aang's face. "I knew it! You love Katara!"

"Shhh, Lan." Iroh chided patiently. "Perfection and power are overrated. I think it was wise of you to choose love and happiness."

Aang bit his lip. "What if we can't save everyone and beat Azula because of my choice? What if I'm not powerful enough?"

Iroh shrugged as they reached the end of the tunnel. "I don't know the answer. Sometimes life is like this dark tunnel. You can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you'll come to a better place." He smiled as Aang earthbended the rock away to reveal a gorgeous crystal catacomb.

"Wow." Lan gushed as they walked through, her flame having been extinguished. She followed close behind Aang as he broke down wall after wall until finally, they found Zuko and Katara. "Zuko!"

It took Zuko a moment to process that his little cousin was hugging him while Katara was hugging Aang. "Uncle, Lan, what are you two doing with him?" Zuko snarled, suddenly very angry.

"Aang helped us save you." Lan said quietly, looking up at Zuko with pleading eyes. "Please don't be angry. We wouldn't have found you if it wasn't for him."

"We need to talk." Iroh said softly to Zuko. He looked over at Katara and Aang and smiled. "Go help your other friends."

"Bye, Katara, Aang." Lan smiled as the two ran by, both giving her a quick pat on the head before disappearing back through the tunnel Aang had created. She looked back up at Zuko and saw the hurt on his face. "Zuko…"

"Why?" Zuko muttered, not meeting either Lan or Zuko's eyes.

Iroh sighed patiently. "You are not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger, wiser, and freer then you have ever been before. Now, you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It is time for you to choose good, Zuko."

Lan reached up and grabbed onto Zuko's hand. She was about to say something to him when the ground around them began shaking violently. She gasped as crystals shot up from the ground and trapped Iroh. "Grandpa!" Her eyes widened as two Dai Li agents and Azula slid down a large hole created from the tremor. Lan immediately hid behind Zuko as Azula approached them.

Azula smiled coolly at them. "I expected this kind of betrayal from Uncle, I'm not even that surprised by Lan's betrayal, but you, Zuko…you're many things, but surely you aren't a traitor to. It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself."

"Shut up, Azula!" Lan shouted angrily. "Let Grandpa go and leave us alone."

Azula sneered at Lan. "You shouldn't even be alive you know. Your mother died because of you."

Iroh's face suddenly turned white. "Be silent, Azula!"

Azula smirked at him and shrugged. "Don't worry. I won't tell her." She turned her attention back to Zuko. "I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move for this day and the only way we win is together. You'll get your honor back, you'll get your father's love, you'll have everything you ever wanted."

"Zuko," Iroh said patiently. "look into your heart and see what it is you truly want."

Azula rolled her eyes and motioned for the Dai Li agents to go back up the way they'd came. She spun on her heels and headed towards the tunnel Katara and Aang had gone down. "You're free to choose, Zuko. You're more than welcome to come along too, Lan. I can tell you all the secrets that your dear grandfather has been keeping from you." With that Azula disappeared down the tunnel.

Lan looked at Iroh, hurt clear on her face. "What's she talking about, Grandpa?"

"Don't listen to her, Lan." Iroh grit out, looking between his nephew and granddaughter. "Both of you know better than to listen to Azula. She is a liar and a manipulator."

Lan looked up at Zuko and was startled at the fierce determination on his face. "Zuko?"

Zuko held his hand out to Lan. "Come with me, Lan. We'll finally be able to go home." He frowned as Lan looked at him with wide eyes. "Come on, Lan."

Lan shook her head quickly. "No! I don't want to help Azula. She's evil, Zuko! She's done nothing but hurt you! Why would you want to go with her?"

"Didn't you say you'd follow me no matter what?" Zuko asked, genuinely hurt and confused. "Didn't you always say you just wanted me to be happy?"

Lan hesitated before shaking her head and moving beside Iroh whom was still trapped by the crystals. "Not like this…" Tears welled in her eyes as Zuko glared at her before running off after Azula. "Zuko…Zuko, please!" She choked out.

Iroh broke free moments later. He knelt in front of Lan and pulled her into a tight hug. "It's all right, Lan. Don't lose faith in Zuko. You know he's good. You know who he really is. Come on." He stood up and grabbed Lan's hand. "We need to stop Azula."

Lan could barely see where they were going through her tears. She kept hoping that maybe Zuko would change his mind and help Aang fight Azula. If Zuko went with Azula, if he betrayed her and Iroh…

The sounds of fighting broke Lan from her thoughts. She and Iroh broke free of the tunnel and found themselves standing above the battle. Lan couldn't help the horrified scream as she saw Azula shoot Aang in the back with lightning. "No! Aang!" She slid down the wall and rushed over to Katara and knelt beside her. "Aang!" She sobbed out. There was too much happening at once for her. Iroh stood protectively between them and Azula and Zuko. Lan looked over at Zuko and glared at him through her tears. "How could you, Zuko? I thought you were good! I thought you were different from Azula and Ozai! You're worse then them!" She sobbed out.

"You've got to get out of here. I'll hold them off as long as I can." Iroh shouted. He glanced over his shoulder at his sobbing granddaughter. "Please, take her with you."

Lan's eyes widened. "I'm not leave you, Grandpa!" She yelped as Katara grabbed her arm and dragged her over to the giant waterfall while still carrying the unconscious Aang. "Grandpa!" Lan cried as she watched her grandfather fight a hopeless fight against Azula, Zuko, and the Dai Li agents. As Katara bended the water to carry them to safety, Lan looked at Zuko as he looked up at her. Briefly their eyes locked, though Lan could barely see him through her tears. There were so many things she wanted to say to him. "I hate you, Zuko!" She didn't see the shocked and hurt look on Zuko's face as the water lifted them up and out of the catacombs and to safety.

Everything else that happened was a blur to Lan. She barely remembered getting onto Appa's back. She sobbed the whole time as Katara healed Aang. She could barely process what had just happened. Her beloved cousin had betrayed her, her grandfather was captured, and there was still the sick feeling in her stomach at what Azula had said to her. She hadn't been meant to live. Her mother had die because of her…

Lan perked up when she heard Aang groan. "Is he okay?" She asked shakily, her voice hoarse and barely above a whisper.

"He needs to rest." Katara whispered as she held a now sleeping Aang in her arms.

Lan nodded. "That's good…" She bit her lip and her crying began anew. "I'm so sorry…I…I…" She was surprised when it was Sokka of all people who wrapped his arms around her. She looked at him through her tears and then over at Toph, Katara, and the sleeping Aang. It felt so strange to her to be sitting among the people that were supposed to be her enemies and now…now they were her comrades. She didn't know how to feel about that. She leaned into Sokka's side and let out a choked sob. "Zuko…Grandpa…"


	27. A New Side

**Hello again, everyone! I'm going to start putting updates on my profile every Sunday so that you can all see what's going on and whether I'll be updating the upcoming week or not. Also, I'll start revealing little tidbits and hints of new stories to come so check my profile every Sunday!**

**AvatarCat11: Yes, Lan will be traveling with Aang and the others through the Fire Nation.**

**Sakura02: Lol, oh Mista T…**

**Thanks: grapejuice101, Shifuni, kakashiluckyblackcat, BANEHiwatari, Hannah, Anime1Boy1Lover, Moonlitdaze, and Wowed for reviewing!**

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Lan sat against the wall in the room where Aang was currently sleeping. Her hair had finally grown back out to its original length. Now that it was long, though, she didn't really do anything with it. She'd let Katara brush it out for her, but otherwise her hair simply hung limp around her shoulders. She didn't really go up on the deck much since it was too risky. If one of the Fire Nation ships saw her…well, it wouldn't end well.

She perked up as Aang let out a groan of pain. She rushed over to his side. "Aang, wake up. Please wake up."

Slowly Aang opened his eyes. "Lan? What are you doing here? Where am I?" He looked around the room with wide panicked eyes. "This is a Fire Nation ship."

"Aang, wait, please." Lan pleaded as she followed the Avatar out into the hallway. "Aang, you need to rest."

Aang groaned in pain, using his staff and the wall to support himself as he stumbled down the hallway. His eyes widened when he saw two Fire Nation soldiers standing at the end of the hallway. Quickly, he shot a gust of wind at them and grabbed Lan's hand, dragging her down the hallway with him. "Lan, where's the deck?"

"That way." Lan pointed towards a flight of stairs that led up. "Aang, please stop and let me explain!"

"I don't have time for that, Lan." Aang grit out as he ran up the stairs. "I've got to…" He stumbled at the top of the stairs and fell, losing his grip on his staff. He looked up and saw his staff land in front of… "Momo?"

"Lan, I thought you were going to watch him." A man that Aang had never seen before walked forward with Bato close behind him.

"I'm sorry, Hakoda." Lan apologized quietly, which surprised Aang greatly. He was used to the little girl being bright and chipper and anything but quiet. "I tried to stop him, but he was really confused and upset."

"Aang!" Katara rushed over and hugged Aang with Toph walking close behind her. She glanced over as the Duke and Pipsqueak came up from below deck. "I'm so glad you're awake."

Aang looked around in confusion. "Are you sure? I feel like I'm dreaming…"

"You're not." Lan said softly. She gave a small smile as Momo perched on her shoulder and began playing with her hair.

"Good to see you back with the living." Sokka stepped forward in full Fire Nation armor.

Lan's eyes widened as Aang's eyes became unfocused. "Oh no. Aang…" She flinched as he collapsed to the ground beside her. She knelt beside him along with Katara. "Is he going to be okay?"

Katara sighed as Appa curled up beside them. "He'll be fine. I think he's just in shock. You didn't sleep at all again." She commented quietly, noting the dark circles under Lan's eyes.

"I can't." Lan admitted quietly as the others slowly dispersed. She didn't need to tell Katara why. She'd been having the same nightmare ever since that night in Ba Sing Se. She kept seeing her grandfather captured, Aang being shot, and Zuko's betrayal. She hadn't gotten a good nights sleep the past few weeks. She blinked as Aang groaned and slowly sat up. "You okay, Aang?"

Aang nodded slowly. "What's going on? Why are we on a Fire Nation ship? Why is everyone dressed this way? Why is Lan here? And why am I the only one out of it?" He barely glanced up as someone in disguise brought him a red robe.

"Calm down, Aang." Katara soothed. "You need to take it easy. You got hurt really bad."

"You look weird with hair." Lan added, allowing a slightly bigger smile to play on her face as Aang panicked and felt his head of hair.

"How long was I out?" Aang asked, looking between Lan and Katara for answers.

Katara shifted nervously. "A few weeks."

"Hey, Lan, come here for a second." Sokka motioned for the young princess to come over where he and Bato were both pouring over a map.

Lan stood up and rushed over, nodding politely to Hakoda as he walked by her. She sat beside Sokka and looked down at the map. "What?"

"I just wanted you to confirm that we're still heading in the right direction." Sokka said slowly, watching over Lan's shoulder as Katara snapped impatiently at their father.

Lan looked at the map for a moment before nodding slowly. "Yeah…" She blinked as Sokka placed a hand on her head. She looked up into his concerned blue eyes. "What?"

"You need to go to sleep, Lan." Sokka said plainly. He rolled up the map and stood up. "Come on."

Lan obediently followed Sokka below deck where the sleeping quarters were. This ship was similar to the one that Lan had lived on for three years with Zuko and Iroh. Her heart clenched as she thought of her cousin and grandfather. She barely noticed when they arrived at her room as Sokka opened the door and ushered her in. Lan crawled into her bed and burrowed under her covers. She stared blankly up at the ceiling and waited for the sound of Sokka shutting the door. She glanced over when she heard the familiar noise and turned her head. She was surprised to find Sokka sitting against the wall right next to her bedside. He was so close that if she wanted, she could reach out and touch him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to make sure you fall asleep." Sokka answered. "You're not going to be any help if you're exhausted. You want to help Aang, don't you?" When Lan nodded, Sokka continued. "Then you need to rest."

Lan stared back up at the ceiling. She wished Sokka would leave. When she was alone, she allowed herself to cry. She couldn't stop her tears from falling, even with Sokka there. "I've lost everything…my mom and dad are dead, my grandfather has been captured, and my cousin….Zuko…." She let out a choked cry and rubbed at her eyes. She barely felt Sokka's hand smoothing down her hair.

"It's okay, Lan." Sokka consoled. "I know we aren't your family, but we're here for you now. You're not alone. We've all lost people important to us."

Lan glanced at Sokka. Ever since she had joined up with them, Sokka had slowly grown kinder to her and at times, even protective. She wasn't sure what had brought on the change, but she didn't mind. She rather liked the sarcastic boy. She felt her eyelids growing heavy and she slowly drifted off to sleep.

She woke up late the next day. She could feel someone nudging her impatiently. "I don't wanna get up." She muttered.

Katara sighed. "Come on. It's time for lunch." She pulled Lan out of bed and helped the little girl smooth out the wrinkles in her red dress. She made a mental note that they would need to get more clothes for the little girl soon as the two made their way up onto the deck.

Lan blinked against the bright sunlight. Once her eyes had adjusted, she ran over to where Sokka and the others were just as Sokka finished explaining all that had happened since Aang had been unconscious. Lan plopped down beside The Duke and smiled gratefully at him as he handed her a bowl of food. She turned her attention to Sokka as he continued to talk, missing the stammered 'your welcome' The Duke gave her.

"So, what now?" Aang asked as he wolfed his food down. He didn't think he'd been this hungry since he'd been unfrozen from the iceberg.

Hakoda swallowed his food. "We're working on a modified version of the invasion plan."

"Sokka's invasion plan." Katara snapped impatiently, ignoring the incredulous looks everyone gave her.

"Yes, Sokka's invasion plan." Hakoda amended. "We don't have the forces to mount a full scale invasion against the Fire Lord, but the solar eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vulnerable."

"We're getting a group of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom for a much smaller invasion." Sokka explained. He slurped down the last of his food and grinned. "And that's not even the best part. The solar eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage. We have a secret weapon; you." He said, pointing to Aang.

Aang blinked and looked at everyone in surprise and confusion. "Me?"

Sokka nodded, rather proud of himself. "The whole world thinks your dead! Isn't that great?"

Aang looked around at everyone, hoping someone would tell him it was all a joke. "How is that good news? This is terrible! This is so messed up!" Before Aang could continue on his tirade, the sound of another ship's horn blared close by.

Lan looked over the edge of the ship. "They're heading right towards us." She announced.

"I'll handle this." Aang said, snapping his glider open. He flinched as his side sent a sharp wave of pain through his body. He blinked as Lan came over and placed a gentle hand on his side.

"You need to hide, Aang." She said softly. "They don't know that this ship has been captured." She looked up at Aang and gave a small smile when he reluctantly snapped his glider closed.

"Bato and I will handle them." Hakoda announced.

Lan quickly led Aang over to the entrance of the stairs and crouched down with him, Toph, Sokka, and Katara. She glanced over at Aang who was clearly not pleased. "It'll be okay, Aang."

"I hate not being able to do anything." Aang hissed.

Toph sighed. "Hopefully you won't need to." They all sat silently with bated breath. Toph's eyes suddenly widened and she leapt from her hiding place. "They know!" She grabbed the metal on the deck and twisted it, sending a shockwave to the small walkway the Fire Nation soldiers had propped between the two ships. The three Fire Nation soldiers fell into the ocean screaming.

Lan leapt out as the same time as Katara did. While Katara created a wall of water as a barrier between the two ships, Lan began shooting flames at the Fire Nation ship and destroying their weapons. She flinched as one of the fireballs from the other ship crashed into the deck, narrowly missing Katara. She looked up when a large serpent shot up from the water. "That's not good…"

The serpent was staring down at their ship and was about to attack it when the soldiers from the other ship attacked it. The serpent howled in fury and dove under the water, making its way towards the enemy ship.

"Let's get out of here." Sokka said and the others silently agreed. They sailed the rest of the day without incident until they finally made port at a merchant's pier. Lan was in her room, humming quietly to herself.

Lan sat up in her bed when she heard a loud knock at the door. "Yes?"

Katara stuck her head into the room and smiled. "We're going into town for dinner. What do you want us to bring back for you?"

Lan plastered a quick smile on her face. "Nothing. I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat, Lan." Katara said impatiently. "I'm going to bring you something back and you need to eat it, okay."

"Yes ma'am." Lan said quietly as Katara shut the door behind her. She wasn't allowed to go into town whenever they made port. It was too risky right now. That's what Sokka and the others told her. Lan sighed tiredly and drifted off into a fitful sleep.

The woman with the mask was waiting for her. "Soon…soon you will come home to me."

Lan blinked. This was the first time she'd ever heard the woman speak. The woman's voice was surprisingly warm and soothing. "Who are you?"

"You will understand everything soon." The woman said quietly. "On the day of the solar eclipse, you will understand."

"Wake up! Lan, wake up!"

Lan shot up in her bed, gasping. She looked up and found Katara hovering over her. Lan had to will her hands to stop shaking so badly. She was afraid. She was afraid of that woman and she was afraid of the solar eclipse. She took a deep breath before looking back up at Katara. "What's wrong?"

Katara frowned. "Are you okay, Lan?" She sighed as Lan gave her a quick nod and a fake smile. "We have to go catch up to Aang. He's run off on his own."

Lan was out of the bed and running up to the deck as fast as her legs would carry her. She must not have been asleep for long since it was still nighttime. Toph was already sitting impatiently in Appa's saddle while Sokka was saying goodbye to his father. While Katara went to say goodbye to Hakoda, Lan said goodbye to Pipsqueak and the Duke. She gave them both a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for being my friends."

The Duke stuttered out a goodbye and Pipsqueak waved while Lan hopped up into the saddle. Lan curled up against Sokka's side while Katara got Appa up into the air. Lan dozed for the rest of the night and awoke again as the sun started to peak out on the horizon.

"There he is!" Sokka shouted, pointing down to a small volcano island. As soon as Appa landed, they were all out of the saddle and running over to Aang who was being awoken by Momo. Lan lingered back as everyone ran over and hugged Aang.

Aang glanced up and saw Lan hesitating. "Come here, Lan. If you're going to be part of our group, you've got to accept that you're going to be hugged…a lot."

Lan managed a small smile and ran over, wriggling in beside Aang and Toph. She hugged the Avatar tightly, and smiled as he hugged her back. "I'm glad you're okay, Aang."

"I've got so much to do." Aang sighed out as everyone broke away.

Katara smiled at him. "We're all here to help you."

Toph tsked impatiently at Aang. "You didn't honestly think you could get out of training just by running away, did you?"

Aang smiled at all of them, before a thought occurred to him. "What about the invasion?"

"We'll meet up with the invasion force later." Sokka explained.

Lan frowned as she noticed something in the water. She went over and picked it up, sucking in her breath when she realized what it was. "Aang…your glider…" She held the broken glider up to him as he came over to her.

Aang took the glider and looked at it sadly. "That's okay. It would give my identity away if someone saw it. It's better if no one knows I'm alive." He turned away from the others and leapt up onto a small mound with lava flowing from it. He spun the glider around his head before slamming it into the ground.

Lan watched sadly from Appa's saddle as Aang came back over. She watched the glider go up in flames as they flew away from the little island.


	28. Dance Party

**Sakura02: Lol. Yes, the scary, pissed off whales were going to eat them XD. Oh Supernatural…**

**AvatarCat11: I'm going to be doing all the episodes from Book 3.**

**Thanks: Melody Sparrow, Moonlitdaze, and Miss Luny for reviewing!**

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"Oh! There's a cave down there! I see a cave!" Lan cried out excitedly, pointing below them to a small island. She hadn't noticed it at first, as it was sometimes hard to see through the clouds that Aang was keeping pulled close to Appa so that no one could see them. She beamed proudly over at the others.

Sokka frantically waved his hands and shushed her as they began to descend to towards the cave. As soon as they landed and Aang dispersed the clouds, they all dismounted off of Appa. Sokka helped Lan hop down from the saddle and patted her head. "Great job with the cloud disguise, guys! Next time, though, let's be a cloud that doesn't speak. Those are kind of rare you know."

Toph rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, it would be horrible if a bird heard us talking up there."

"Hey, we're in enemy territory!" Sokka protested. "Those are enemy birds."

Lan blinked. "We don't talk to birds…" She couldn't help giggling as one bird landed on Sokka's shoulder and squawked in his ear. Her giggles were soon joined in by the others laughter. She took a step forward to start walking into the cave, but Sokka held a hand up and ran into the cave, looking around frantically before he allowed the others to follow him in.

Sokka turned to the others as they followed him in. "Well, this is how we're going to be living until the invasion. In cave…after cave…after cave…"

"Excuse me, Sokka." Lan raised her hand up high in the air and waved it around. "I don't like caves. Can we find somewhere else to live until the invasion?"

Katara nodded her head. "I agree with Lan. We don't have to become cave people. We just need some new clothes."

"Yeah! We'll be just as safe by blending in as we will be hiding in caves." Aang chimed in. He really didn't want to spend the next few weeks in caves.

Toph punched the wall beside her, making several cave hoppers fall to the ground. "It's real food out there, or caves hoppers in here."

Sokka looked at the revolted faces of Katara and Aang. He hesitated before looking down at Lan. "You're making the face, aren't you? The one where make your eyes all big and you look like a helpless puppy."

"Yup." Lan answered. "I'm also pouting." She grinned triumphantly as Sokka's shoulders slouched. "Yay! No cave hoppers!"

They left the cave and walked a couple miles until they came across the town's laundry. Multiple clothes lines filled with various styles of clothing hung over steam vents. Lan's eyes lit up when she saw a simple, but pretty dress. She looked over to her side where Aang was and frowned. "What's wrong, Aang?"

"I don't know about this." Aang muttered. "These clothes belong to other people."

Katara ignored Aang's worries and leapt out from their hiding spot. "I call the silk robes!"

Aang hesitated for another moment as the others rushed off to find clothes. Only Lan remained at his side. He looked at her curious amber eyes and grinned. "If it's essential for our survival…I call the suit!" He grabbed Lan's hand and the two rushed off to grab their new clothing.

Lan stifled her giggles as they ran right by the sleeping attendant, the poor man oblivious to what was going on. Lan yanked the dress off the line that she had spied earlier. Once they had their clothes, the group rushed off to a nearby beach to change.

"Lan, let me fix your hair." Katara said as Toph finished dressing and waltzed out from behind the rock cropping and over to the beach area where Aang and Sokka were. She smiled as Lan obediently sat in front of her. She pulled a brush from her small bag and began gently running it through Lan's tangled hair. "You've been sleeping better now."

"Yeah." Lan said quietly. She hadn't had anymore dreams with the masked lady in them and she was relieved about that. "Katara, do you think my grandpa is okay?"

Katara's hands stilled from braiding Lan's hair. She quickly resumed her work and tied off the end with a silk red ribbon. "I'm sure he is. There, all done." She smiled again as Lan stood up and twirled around. "You don't think anyone will recognize you, do you?"

Lan quickly shook her head. She watched as Katara finished doing her own hair. "I don't think so. With these clothes, I look like an ordinary Fire Nation kid." She grinned at Katara and rushed out from behind the rock with Katara close behind her. She ran over to Sokka and twirled around. "Good disguise, right?" Her grin widened as Sokka nodded approvingly.

"Um, Katara, your mother's necklace…" Aang pointed out after he'd gotten over seeing Katara in Fire Nation clothing.

Katara's smile faltered as she placed a hand over her mother's necklace. "Right…I guess it's pretty obvious this is from the Water Tribe."

"We can go to the town market." Lan piped up helpfully. "They always sell really pretty accessories. Grandpa would always give me money and Zuko…" Lan trailed off suddenly, remembering how Zuko would always follow her around and make sure she didn't waste all her money on what he deemed 'useless junk'. She knew he'd always really followed her around because he was worried she'd get lost or kidnapped. She blinked as Sokka place a hand on her head. She grinned up at him. "Come on! Let's go!"

The group made their way to the town and quickly found a stall that sold accessories. Lan lingered back beside Aang while Katara, Toph, and Sokka picked out accessories for their new outfits. Once that was finished, Sokka began leading the group towards a butcher shop.

Aang hung back. "You guys go on ahead. I'll just find some lettuce or something."

"I'll go with you." Lan volunteered. She never really cared much for going into the butcher shops. She grabbed Aang's hand as they continued walking around the market while Sokka and the others went into the butcher shop. She blinked as three rather scary looking officials approached them. "Um, Aang, I think we're in trouble." She whispered nervously as the two men and woman stopped before them.

The oldest of the two men and clearly the one in charge glared down at the two, his arms crossed disapprovingly over his chest. "It's over. We've caught the both of you."

Aang looked around, trying to appear as innocent as possible while Lan cowered behind him. "Who? Us?"

"It couldn't be more obvious to anyone that you don't belong here." The man snarled. "The next time you play hooky, you may want to take off your uniform." The man blinked as Lan suddenly began crying. "What's wrong with her?"

"I'm sorry, sir." Lan sniffled out, still clinging to Aang's hand and rubbing at her eyes with her other. "It's my fault. I got a really bad tear in my uniform and everyone was laughing at me. I asked my brother to take me home so I could change. I'm really, really sorry."

The man looked nervously at the other two before shrugging. "Take them back to the school."

Lan continued her act of sniffling all the way to the school. She glanced at Aang with wide, terrified eyes as the two were led off to different classrooms. Lan was stuck with the older man while the other two took Aang to his classroom.

The teacher looked up in disdain when she saw the man bring Lan in. "Where is your uniform?" She snapped angrily as the man walked off, leaving Lan at the mercy of the teacher.

"It got ripped." Lan said quietly, quickly bowing to the teacher to show her respect. She hoped none of them recognized her. She held her breath as the teacher circled her and looked her up and down suspiciously.

"Name?" The teacher finally asked.

"Shu." Lan answered automatically, using the name she had used when she, Iroh, and Zuko had been in hiding. She breathed out as the teacher finally allowed her to take her seat. The day passed fairly quickly. Lan did her best to keep a low profile and didn't interact much with her classmates. When the bell finally rang, she ran out of the classroom and out into the yard at the entrance of the school. She looked around until she finally spotted Aang. "Big Brother!"

Aang glanced up and grinned as Lan ran over to him. "Hi, Sis." He said as she stopped in front of him. "How was school?"

"Boring." Lan said offhandedly. "How's Momo doing?"

Aang peeked into his shirt to check on the flying lemur. "He's good."

"Don't let the headmaster catch you with that monkey, Kuzon." A girl said from behind them. She smiled at both Lan and Aang as they whipped around.

"Uh, what monkey?" Aang asked innocently.

The girl giggled. "Don't worry; I won't tell on you." She smiled at Lan whom was clinging to Aang's hand and trying to hide behind him. "Is this your little sister? She's really cute."

"Yeah, this is my little sister…" Aang looked over at Lan when he realized he didn't know her codename.

"Shu." Lan piped up.

The girl smiled. "My name is On Ji. I like your headband, Kuzon." She giggled at the silly grin on Aang's face.

Lan let out a yelp as a boy walked up behind them and roughly shoved them to the side. Lan glowered at him and was seriously debated on shooting a fire ball in his face. The only thing that stopped her was Aang squeezing her hand tightly and the smile on his face never wavering.

Aang bowed politely to the boy. "You must be one of those popular kids I've always heard so much about."

The boy sneered at the two of them. "That's right. Look, I get that you two hicks are from the colonies so let me make one thing clear to you, Kuzon. On Ji…is…my…girlfriend. You better remember that."

Lan rolled her eyes, but stayed quiet as the boy walked off with his arm around On Ji. "Loser. I bet he can't even firebend…" She raised an eyebrow as three boys and a girl approached them. She recognized the boy leading the group as one from her class that sat next to her and kept trying to talk to her all day. "Oh, you're Shoji."

Shoji's grin widened. "You remember me! I was worried that I was annoying you, Shu. I can't believe your brother stood up to Hide without getting beat up."

"My brother is just lucky like that." Lan shrugged casually, trying to ignore Aang's grin.

"We were going to play hide-and-explode. Wanna come?" Shoji asked.

"I love hide-and-explode!" Lan blurted out excitedly. She blushed as Shoji and Aang laughed. "Shut up, both of you!"

Aang and Lan didn't get back to the cave until late that night. Both were laughing and covered in soot and burn marks. Katara glared at them both, her hands on her hips. "Where have you two been? We've been worried sick!"

"We were playing with some kids from our school." Aang answered brightly. "We enrolled in a Fire Nation school and we're going back tomorrow. Right, Lan?"

"Yup!" Lan said excitedly, ignoring Sokka's shout of protest. She had had so much fun playing with Shoji and the others. She hadn't gotten to play with children her own age in so long. She'd forgotten how much she loved hide-and-explode.

Sokka took a deep breath as he looked at the bright grins on Lan and Aang's faces. "I'm trying really hard no to immediately think this is a bad idea, but…it's a bad idea."

"We've got our outfits." Toph pointed out. "Why do you need to go to school?"

"Every minute we spend in school, the more we learn. Lan hasn't ever gone to a Fire Nation school so all she's ever learned is from Iroh and Zuko. I've already got a picture of Fire Lord Ozai. Besides, we're learning about the secret river that runs right to the Fire Lord's palace." Aang said casually.

Lan looked at him dubiously. "I don't think there's…" She stopped when Aang gave her a look. "Oh, right. It's really secret and really…river…y…"

Sokka nodded thoughtfully. "I do love secret rivers." He sighed at the hopeful looks on Lan and Aang's faces. "Fine. We'll stay for a few more days."

"Yes!" Aang said, giving Lan a high-five. "Shoji will be so happy to see you in class tomorrow."

"Who's Shoji?" Sokka asked immediately. "Is he a bully?"

Lan rolled her eyes as Aang laughed. "I'm going to bed."

The next day at school was fairly uneventful until music class. Lan was surprised to see that her class had music with Aang's class. She smiled and sat by him with On Ji on his other side. Lan gave Shoji a smile when he sat down beside her. As the teacher began conducting, Lan brought the flute to her lips and played. It had been so long since she'd been able to play, that she got completely lost in the music. She stopped when she heard the music teacher speaking.

"Kuzon, what are you doing with your feet?" The teacher asked.

Aang blinked. "Oh, I was just dancing."

The teacher frowned. "Dancing is not conductive to the learning environment. You people must have rigid discipline and order so that they may prosper. Now, I know that we are sometimes so moved by love for our nation, that we just can't control ourselves. If you must, you may march in place should the desire strike you again."

"You guys really don't dance?" Aang asked Lan incredulously as they walked out for recess.

Lan shook her head, ignoring the students whispering around them. "Not really. Grandpa taught me how, but he always told me that the schools are way too strict. I don't like dancing that much, though. I prefer singing." Lan blushed and bit her lip as Aang looked at her.

"You sing?" He asked excitedly.

Lan was saved from answering by On Ji walking over to them. On Ji smiled at both of them. "I really liked your dancing, Kuzon."

Aang grinned sheepishly. "I can show you again, if you'd like."

"What are you going to show my girl?" Hide hissed as he stormed over.

Lan rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "He was just going to show her how to dance. Could you cut the alpha male thing down a little? It's really annoying."

Hide glared at Lan. "Be quiet, brat."

Lan yelped as On Ji pulled her away as Hide began lunging at Aang. Lan wasn't worried about Aang. He slipped and slid away from Hide with grace and ease, never laying a hand on the bigger boy. Lan laughed loudly when Hide fell to floor when he lunged at Aang and missed again. Her laughter stopped as the Headmaster suddenly appeared.

"Picking fights on your second day of school?" The Headmaster spoke quietly to Aang. Have your parents come to my office after school. Don't be late."

"What are we going to do?" Lan hissed at Aang as the Headmaster and everyone else walked away.

Aang thought for a minute before a bright grin split across his face. "I've got an idea."

* * *

Lan slouched in her seat between Aang and her 'mother'. She glanced first at Katara who was disguised as her and Aang's pregnant mother and then down at Sokka who was disguised as their bearded father. This was ridiculous. There was no way this was going to work. Nevertheless, Lan made herself sniffle and look very distraught to be in the Headmaster's office.

"Your son has been enrolled here for two days and already he has argued with his history teacher, disrupted music class, and roughed up my star pupil." The Headmaster said sternly.

Katara gasped dramatically. "That doesn't sound like our Kuzon at all."

The Headmaster nodded knowingly. "That is what any mother would say, ma'am. However, this is the only warning he will receive. If he acts up again, I'll have him sent to the coal mines."

"Don't worry, sir. I'll straighten this boy out." He turned to Aang and began shouting. "You just wait until we get home! You're going to get the punishment of a lifetime!"

The Headmaster smiled. "That's what I like to hear."

"What about Shu?" Katara asked, wrapping protective arms around the sniffling Lan. "I hope she hasn't been causing any problems. She's such a sweet little thing and she looks up to her brother so much..."

The Headmaster smiled indulgently at Lan. "No, ma'am. You're daughter is a fine student. She is especially excelling in her music classes. We've never had a student sing the Fire Nation anthem so beautifully."

"That's my girl!" Sokka stood up and the rest rose to follow him. "Shu, you get extra meat tonight."

"Thank you, Daddy!" Lan had to stifle a giggle as they walked out. That had gone better than she thought it would.

When they got back to the cave, Aang spoke up quickly. "I wanna throw a secret dance party for the kids at that school!"

Everyone stared at him in complete shock. "You want to do what?" Lan finally managed out.

"Think about it; those kids are the Fire Nation's future. If we want to change this place for the better, we need to show them a little taste of freedom." Aang reasoned. It took a good while to convince the others, but Aang eventually did it. They would have the dance party that night. Aang slipped away to tell the other children while Lan and the others stayed behind to prepare.

Lan was busy lighting dozens of candles at a time when Aang finally came back. "Did you tell everyone?"

"Yup." Aang said with a wide grin.

Sokka sighed. "I still think hosting a dance party for a bunch of Fire Nation kids is dumb."

Lan perked up as soon as the kids showed up. She lingered along the wall with Katara and the others while the band of students set up and began playing. Lan wasn't surprised at all when the kids didn't begin dancing. They weren't used to being able to express themselves.

"Shu, you know how to dance." Aang beckoned Lan over to him. "Do you know the Phoenix Flight?"

Lan rolled her eyes. "Of course." She couldn't help giggling as she and Aang began dancing around. It had been so long since she'd gotten to dance. She giggled as Aang began flipping around. Eventually, all the kids were dancing and having fun. Lan noticed Shoji staring at her. She grabbed his hand and began dancing with him, both laughing loudly. She blinked when Aang came over and whispered in her ear. Her eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. "I can't!"

"Please?" Aang asked quietly, giving Lan his best puppy eyes.

Lan hesitated. "You owe me." Lan smiled apologetically over at Shoji before making her way to the bandstand. She whispered quickly to them and then cleared her throat. She looked down at the floor where Aang and Katara were beginning to dance together. As the band started back up, Lan began singing. It was a quick and happy tune, one that Iroh had taught her to play on the flute. Her voice rose and fell with the notes and soon she forgot where she was and everything that was wrong. She began dancing around on the bandstand as she continued singing. She stopped when she heard the band gasp.

"That's not good." She muttered when she saw the Headmaster, two truant officers, and Hide standing at the entrance to the cave. She leapt down from the bandstand and landed beside Shoji.

"That's the one we want." The Headmaster said, pointing at Aang who had finally stopped dancing. "The one with the headband."

"You guys go." Shoji whispered to Lan as Aang rushed over to them.

Lan frowned. "But, you guys will get in trouble…" She blinked in shock as Shoji gave her a quick kiss on the lips. She barely registered Sokka grabbing her hand and running towards the back of the cave. She stopped and looked back once last time at Shoji. She gave him a quick smile and wave when he turned to look at her. She didn't feel so bad about the blush on her cheeks when she saw him blushing as well.

"What's wrong with you?" Sokka asked when they were on Appa and flying off to safety.

Lan blinked and looked up from where she had been staring idly at the passing clouds. "Oh, nothing."

"Someone got their first kiss." Katara sang knowingly.

Lan blushed as Sokka let out a furious yell. She smiled over at Aang and scooted to sit next to him. "Thank you."

"For what?" Aang asked.

Lan thought for a moment on how to best express her gratitude to Aang for getting her to sing. She had never sang in front of others before and it had been so exhilarating. Finally, she simply grinned at him. "For being a good big brother."

Aang blinked, but then grinned back at her. He gave Lan a big hug. "Anytime, Lan. Anytime."


	29. Chapter 29

**I'm so sorry, everyone! I hate not updating for long periods of time like this. November was a rather chaotic month between NaNoWriMo, trying to find a second job, Thanksgiving, and becoming a Dual Major. I hope you will all forgive me and continue reading and reviewing!**

**AvatarCat11: Hmmm, I haven't decided yet how Lan is going to react when Zuko joins them. **

**Melody Sparrow: I have a little cousin that acts a lot like Lan. I get most ideas from her.**

**Sakura02: Yes…Sokka should never be given so much authority…it doesn't end well for others XD**

**Thank you: grapejuice101, chickenchick, The BloodBender at Full Moon, BANEHiwatari, Winged Wolfie Chibi, Moonlitdaze, and MangaMagic for reviewing.**

**Hooray! Over 200 reviews! Thank you so much for your continued support!**

* * *

Lan crinkled her nose as a rather foul stench hit her nose. Slowly, she woke up from her nap and rubbed her eyes. She looked blearily around to see Sokka fishing while Katara and Toph simply sat off to the side. "Where's Aang?"

Katara glanced over the side of Appa's saddle. "He's swimming."

Lan peered over the edge as well and blanched. The river was disgusting brown color and clearly not suitable for swimming in. "Aang, I think you should get out."

Aang looked around himself for the first time, his eyes widening when he saw just how disgusting the water was. He quickly flew out of the water and back into Appa's saddle. Using his airbending, he removed all the clinging goop off of himself and deposited it onto the others. He smiled apologetically when Lan glared at him and quickly airbended the goop off of the group.

"I'm not eating anything that comes out of that water." Lan protested, staring nervously into the water.

"We'll need to find a town to get food." Katara mused thoughtfully, pulling Lan further back into the saddle when she thought the little princess was leaning too far over.

Aang scanned the horizon for a moment before his eyes lit up. "There's a town over there!" The group steered Appa to land where Aang proceeded to disguise Appa as a giant hill with horns.

Lan looked around the landscape curiously. "I've never seen a village on a river before." Lan said as they walked towards the edge of the shore. She blinked when she noticed a strange man in a small boat at the dock's edge. "Hello!" She called before any of the others could stop her.

The old man grinned and waved the kids over. "Hello there! The name's Dock. Where are you kiddos from?"

"We're from the colonies." Katara lied smoothly. It had worked as a ruse when they were in the other Fire Nation town. Surely it would serve them just as well here.

"Neat." Dock said, his grin never leaving his face. "Why don't you all hop on and I'll give you a ride into town." Once all the children were settled into the boat, Dock launched into an explanation of the town. "We used to be a fishing town before that factory moved in." He motioned towards a rather ominous looking metal building built into the side of a cliff wall. "The army makes their metal there. They moved in a few years ago and started polluting our river. Now, we're struggling to survive."

Lan's eyes saddened as they pulled into the village's dock. She stepped onto the dock and saw the villagers were all sitting miserably about, some even appeared sickly. She wanted to reach out to the people, to her people. She couldn't reveal she was their princess, though so she simply reached for Katara's hand. It comforted her a bit to see that Katara was just as distressed as she was about the abysmal situation. "Is there any way we can help these people?"

"Nope." Sokka said firmly. "We don't have time to help them. We just need to get our food and leave. These people will just have to fend for themselves."

Katara glared angrily at Sokka. "That's cruel, Sokka! These people are starving, yet you just want to turn your back on them."

"I'm being realistic." Sokka argued. "We can't go saving every town we wander into. Our way of helping them is by taking out the Fire Lord." He flinched as the others immediately shushed him. "Katara," he said, more softly this time. "be reasonable. Our mission comes first. Lan, don't forget these people when we succeed. They're your people after all."

"Okay…" Lan reluctantly agreed. She looked up at Katara who hadn't said anything. "Katara?"

Katara sighed and squeezed Lan's hand. "I guess you're right, Sokka."

"Let's just get what we need and go." Aang said, quickly leading the group over to the only open stall in the center of the small village.

Lan raised her eyebrows when she saw Dock behind the counter. "So, you work here and at the docks? That's pretty neat."

Dock chuckled and pointed to his hat which was different from earlier. "I'm not Dock. I'm his brother, Xu." He ignored the incredulous looks the children exchanged and simply pulled out a box full of rather rancid looking fish. "What can I get you? If you by three fish, I'll give you a clam for free."

"I'm not eating any of that." Lan whispered while Sokka simply purchased the fish. She rolled her eyes as Dock disappeared under the counter and reappeared wearing his hat from earlier, offering to give the group a ride back to the shore. She stayed by Katara's side and blinked when a scrawny boy ran up to them.

The boy smiled nervously at the two of them. His gaze lingered on the pathetic fish that Katara was holding. "Can you spare any food?"

Katara glanced back to see that Sokka and the others were already at the dock. She looked down at Lan who gave her a smile. Katara smiled at Lan and then at the boy. She handed him one of the fish. "I wish I could do more…"

Lan felt her heart clench as they watched the little boy run back to an open hut and proudly show the fish to a sick bedridden woman. Lan squeezed Katara's hand. "My uncle doesn't care about our people. He's worse than Azula. When we beat him, I'll make sure that all these people are helped."

Katara didn't say anything. She tugged Lan over to the group that was now impatiently waiting for them. She wanted to help these people so badly. She just needed to figure out how.

* * *

"What's wrong, Appa?" Lan cooed at the large flying bison. She had been awoken that morning from Katara's concerned voice. She glanced up when Aang and Sokka walked over with Toph close behind them. "I think Appa is sick."

Aang looked curiously at the bison. "He doesn't look sick…" He opened Appa's mouth and yelped. "His tongue is purple! That can't be good! Katara, can you heal him?"

Katara thought for a moment. "I'm sure the village has some herbs we could use."

Lan looked suspiciously over at Katara. She had woken up late in the night to find that Katara was gone from her pallet. Lan was about to get up and wake the others when Katara had slipped back into the camp. Katara had been surprised to see Lan awake, but she simply refused to tell her where she'd gone and insisted Lan go back to sleep and not tell the others.

The group made it back to the small village which seemed much more chipper than the day before. Lan looked at the scrawny boy from the other day who seemed much happier as he kicked a ball around. "What's going on? Did we miss something?"

Sokka led the group over to the small stall where Dock, who was currently Xu was busy with his merchandise. "Hey, Xu, what's going on? Everyone seems…perkier."

Xu grinned widely at the group. "Food was delivered to us last night by a wonderful and beautiful person; the Painted Lady."

Katara blinked slowly. "The Painted Who?"

"The Painted Lady is part of our town lore." Xu explained, pulling a statute of a beautiful lady out and handing it to Lan. "Here you go, little girl. That's on the house. She is a river spirit who watches over our town in times of need."

Lan ran her fingers lightly over the statute. She looked suspiciously over at Katara who refused to meet her gaze. She looked back at Xu. "Do you have some medicine? Our friend is sick and we can't leave until he's better."

"Nope, sorry." Xu said apologetically. "All our medicine goes to the factory. That's why we've got so many sick people."

"Guess we'll have to stay another night." Katara said, smiling over at Sokka. She blinked when Lan grabbed her hand.

"I know you're up to something." Lan said.

Katara simply smiled. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Just don't do anything stupid." Lan sighed out.

It had been a couple of days since they'd arrived in the town. Lan was almost certain that Katara was the Painted Lady, but she didn't want to say anything since she had no proof. She had been sleeping rather peacefully, but she was rudely shaken awake. She flailed about and glared angrily up at an apologetic looking Sokka. "What?"

"Katara and Aang are gone." Sokka explained, helping the Fire Nation princess out of her sleeping bag. "Katara is the Painted Lady."

"Well, yeah." Lan said, following Sokka over to the fire where Toph was already sitting. "She probably went to go help the villagers again. What's so wrong with that?"

Before Sokka could say anything, Katara and Aang walked back into the camp. Katara smiled guiltily at them. "Hi guys! We were just on a morning walk."

"We know you're the Painted Lady." Lan said.

"You put our whole mission in jeopardy!" Sokka accused, waving his finger in Katara's face. "We are leaving right now!"

Katara sighed as they all began packing up. She blinked and looked up when she felt a small hand on hers. "What's wrong, Lan? Do you need help packing?"

Lan shook her head and smiled at Katara. "I think it's really nice what you did. Helping those people, I mean. I promise, when we get rid of Fire Lord Ozai, I'll make sure all these people get helped.

"Thanks, Lan." Katara kissed the little girl on the forehead. She and the others looked up to see Fire Nation soldiers on jet skis racing towards the village. "Oh no…"

"Katara, what'd you do last night?" Lan asked curiously.

Katara shifted nervously. "I kind of blew up the factory…" She winced at the angry shout Sokka let out.

"Did you even think your plan through before you did that?" Sokka asked furiously. "Did you even stop to think that they would blame the town for what happened? We should have just left like I wanted to and done nothing!"

Katara frowned at Sokka and stood up. "No. I will never turn my back on people who need me. I'm going down to the village to help."

Lan jumped up and raced after Katara. "I'll help too. They're my people after all."

Sokka groaned in annoyance. "I'm coming too."

Katara looked at him suspiciously. "I thought you didn't want to help."

"You need me and I'll never turn my back on you." Sokka said to his sister with a grin. He blinked as he was suddenly being hugged by both Katara and Lan.

"You're such a good big brother." Lan murmured, hugging him tightly. She wondered idly if Zuko would've done the same for her. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind and buried her face in Sokka's side. Her heart clenched tightly in her chest and her stomach twisted into knots just at the thought of his name. It was still too painful to think of Zuko. At least she wasn't crying just at the thought of him. That was an improvement.

"Okay, Lan, now." Sokka whispered.

Lan began playing an eerie melody on her flute while Toph made two large boulders go up and down to make what would sound like large footsteps to those in the village. She tried to stop herself from laughing every time Appa growled. She never thought scaring off Fire Nation soldiers could be so much fun. It was difficult to see what was going on in the village due to the fog Aang had created, but Lan trusted Sokka to tell her what to do.

"Let's go." Sokka said after the terrified screams of the Fire Nation soldiers dissipated.

As they entered the town, Lan could hear the suddenly very angry voices from the villagers. "That doesn't sound good." She let out a yelp when Toph dragged her into the crowd while Sokka ran to Katara's aid.

"We can't have people recognizing you." Toph whispered. "Just stay here with me."

"She's a waterbender!" Dock pointed and accusing finger at Katara. "She's been tricking us this whole time!"

Sokka stepped forward to protect his sister. "She may be a waterbender, but she was trying to help all of you. Thanks to her, that factory won't be polluting your river anymore and there won't be any soldiers to steal your medicine. You should be on your knees thanking her."

Katara placed a hand on Sokka's shoulder and shook her head. "It's okay, Sokka. I'm sorry to all of you for tricking you. I just felt like I had to do something to help you. It doesn't matter if the Painted Lady is real or not, because your problems are very real as is this river. You shouldn't just wait around for someone to help you, you should help yourselves."

Dock nodded thoughtfully, while all the villagers whispered uncertainly to each other. "She's right! Uh, what should we do though?"

Toph suddenly popped out, talking in a much deeper voice. "Let's clean the river!"

Lan giggled while Toph smiled proudly at herself when all the villagers agreed. "You're so weird, Toph."

"I know." Toph grinned.

The rest of the afternoon the group spent helping the villagers clean the river. By the time they got back to their campsite, they were all completely exhausted. Lan tossed and turned in her sleeping bag, trying desperately to go to sleep. When she couldn't, she got up, only to find Katara's sleeping bag was empty as well. Lan went to the river and wasn't surprised to see Katara there. What did surprise her was that the real Painted Lady was hovering just above the river water. "Katara?" Lan called uncertainly.

The Painted Lady looked up and seemed to recognize Lan. She smiled sadly and beckoned the little girl closer. "Poor child…"

Lan shuddered and grabbed Katara's hand when the Painted Lady reached out to touch her. The woman's hand was cold. "Do you know what's going to happen on the eclipse?" Lan blurted out suddenly.

"Yes." The Painted Lady whispered, backing away and already beginning to disappear. "Poor child…good luck."

"Lan, what is she talking about? What's going to happen on the eclipse?" Katara asked worriedly.

"Nothing…" Lan said after a moment. "Nothing at all."


	30. Sword Master

**Argh! I swear I'm getting back on track with updating, everyone! Things have been so crazy with my little sister moving out of the house (so sad!), me getting a new car (amazing!), and getting ready for school. **

**Melody Sparrow: The Painted Lady is not the lady from Lan's dreams, but she does know the masked woman :)**

**Sakura02: He's technically Lan's great-uncle.**

**Lady Elizabeth of New York: Thank you!**

**AvatarCat12: Thank you and Happy New Year to you too!**

* * *

Lan looked up at the meteor shower with a content smile on her face. She was laying beside Sokka with Momo curled up on her stomach. "It's so pretty."

Sokka nodded his head in agreement. "It makes you realize just how insignificant we all are."

Toph shrugged. "If you've seen nothing once, you've seen it a thousand times."

Lan was about to say something when a giant meteor flew over their heads. "Wow." She yelped when Sokka roughly yanked her to feet and over to Appa. They all quickly piled on and flew to the spot where the meteor had landed. Lan gasped when she saw the meteor had created a large fire which was heading straight for the unsuspecting village. "What should we do?"

"There's a creek nearby. I'll bend some water onto the fire." Katara waited for the rest of the group to climb off of Appa before she took the reins and flew towards the creek.

"Toph, let's make a trench to stop the fire." Aang said, already getting into position. "Lan, can you bend some of the fire away?"

"Yes, but not all of it." Lan answered. If Iroh had been there, he would've been able to handle the fire with ease. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind and focused on pushing back the flames that were closest to them.

Sokka frowned. "What about me?"

"Watch Momo!" Aang shouted. He turned all his attention to helping Toph create a large trench. They were eventually able to put out the flames. Aang gave everyone a wide grin. "Good work, everyone!"

Lan blinked at a mysterious pile of snow that had appeared. She went over and dusted off the top layer of snow to find Sokka sitting there with Momo in his arms. "What happened to you?"

"You guys and your weird bending, that's what." Sokka grouched. First, he'd been hit with a bunch of water and then air which had made the water turn to snow. "You okay, Lan?"

Lan grinned up at Sokka and nodded. "Yup!"

They spent the rest of the night back at their camp. When the sun rose, they made their way into the village for food and supplies. After they'd done most of their shopping, the group stopped at a restaurant to eat lunch. Lan looked at all the people happily milling around and going about their daily business. "They don't know about what happened last night, do they?"

"Nope." Toph sighed out remorsefully. "That's one thing that sucks about these disguises; we don't get hero worshipped anymore. I miss all the love."

Sokka rolled his eyes and poked irritably at his food. "Poor heroes…" He grouched out.

Lan tilted her head to the side. "What's wrong, Sokka? Are you not hungry?"

"You haven't touched your smoked sea slug at all." Katara said worriedly.

Sokka sighed, refusing to meet the groups questioning eyes. "It's just…you guys can all do amazing things. I can't fly or make stuff fly around. I can't do anything at all."

"That's not true!" Lan protested. "You're an awesome navigator!"

Aang nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and you keep all of us laughing with your sarcastic remarks."

"Look, I appreciate you guys trying, but let's face it; you guys are all amazing and special. I'm not. I'm just the regular guy in this group."

Katara put a comforting hand on his shoulder and smiled. "Just know that none of us think of you that way. I think I know something that will make you feel better." They all stood up and Katara led them to a shop with weapons and armor on display.

Sokka squealed with delight and rushed in with the rest of the group following close behind him. He ran around the shop, trying out weapon after weapon. Lan stayed close to him, wincing each time a weapon didn't work out for him. She was glad that Sokka was getting back to his usual self and not moping.

"Oh, that's what I'm talking about." Sokka practically skipped over to a sword rack on the wall, his eyes focused on a gorgeous and intricate sword positioned above the others.

The shopkeeper came over and nodded his head approvingly. "You have a good eye. That is an original made by Piandao, the greatest sword master and sword maker in Fire Nation history. He lives in the big castle up the road from here." He walked back over to the counter just as quickly as he had come.

Lan clapped her hands together excitedly. "That's what you need, Sokka! You need a master to help you get better." She watched Sokka carefully take the sword down from the rack. "Katara had Master Pakku, Toph had the badgermoles, and Aang's had lots of different masters."

Sokka nodded slowly and glanced at the little Fire Nation princess. "What about you?"

Lan faltered for a moment. "My grandpa was my master. He taught me everything I know."

Sokka flinched. "Sorry, Lan." He patted her head and gave her a small smile. He turned his attention back to the sword and nodded. "All right, I'll do it. I'll go get myself a master."

* * *

Lan looked blankly up at the clear blue sky overhead. It had only been a few hours and Sokka was busy training with Piandao. None of them were sure what to do since it was Sokka that always kept them on such a tight schedule. Lan didn't like having so much free time. It allowed her thoughts to wander to places she didn't want them to. She thought of her grandfather, more than likely imprisoned now, her beloved cousin that had so easily betrayed her and Iroh, and of the strange woman and the eclipse. She blinked away from her thoughts when she felt someone poking her cheek. Her amber eyes met Aang's grey ones. "What?"

Aang gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry. Did I disturb you?"

"No." Lan answered. She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. "I was just thinking of some bad things…"

Aang didn't press her to tell him. He already knew what she'd been thinking of, more or less. "Do you know anything about this Piandao guy?"

"Not much." Lan admitted. "Grandpa talked about him a few times, but not in great detail. He praised Piandao a lot, though, so I think he's a good guy. My grandpa doesn't praise just anyone."

Toph suddenly perked up. "Sokka's coming!"

Lan ran over to Sokka and hugged him tightly. "We missed you, Sokka! It's been so boring without you!"

Sokka raised an eyebrow at the little girl. He patted her head before giving the group a serious look. "I need your help, guys." He led them towards where the meteorite had landed the night before, explaining everything that had happened the past few hours.

The group managed to push the meteorite up the road to Piandao's castle. Lan cheered them on, running a few feet ahead of them.

Piandao answered the door when Sokka knocked. He looked carefully at each person assembled, his eyes lingering on Lan for a brief moment. "Who are all these people?"

"My friends." Sokka answered quickly. He motioned hopefully to the meteorite. "Do you think you can make a sword out of it?"

Piandao was silent for a moment before smirking. "We will make a sword like none the world has ever seen."

Lan and the others watched Sokka work diligently through the night on his sword. Lan dozed off at one point, her head resting against Aang's side. When she was awoken by Katara, it was morning and Sokka had finished making his sword. They all assembled in Piandao's main hall, the group standing a few feet behind Sokka who was sitting before the sitting Piandao. Piandao's butler held Sokka's sword in his hands.

Piandao smiled down at Sokka. "Sokka, when you first came here, you were so unsure of yourself. Despite this, I saw that you had twice the heart of a lion turtle. It wasn't your skills that impressed me while we trained." He inclined his head to his butler as he handed Piandao the sword. He unsheathed the sword and examined it closely. "You showed something beyond that. Creativity, versatility, intelligence…all the traits that define a great swordsman. These are the traits that define you." He re-sheathed the sword and put it into Sokka's hands. "I believe you are more worthy than any man I have ever trained."

Sokka looked at the sword, hesitating. "I'm sorry, but you're wrong, Master. I'm not who you think I am. I'm from the Southern Water Tribe. I lied to you so that you would train me. I'm sorry."

Piandao stared down at Sokka. "I'm sorry too."

Lan gasped when Piandao unsheathed his sword and swung it at Sokka who barely brought his sheathed sword up in time to block. "Sokka!"

"All of you stay back!" Sokka exclaimed. "This is my fight." He unsheathed his sword and he and Piandao began to fight.

Lan and the others watched nervously with Piandao's butler. "I hope Sokka will be okay." They watched the fight continue, with Piandao occasionally shouting out praises to Sokka. The fight ended when Piandao knocked Sokka to the ground and disarmed him. Lan and the others immediately rushed to try and aid Sokka, but were stopped by Piandao pointing his sword towards them.

"Excellent work, Sokka." Piandao said. He motioned for his butler to throw him his scabbard. He held his sword up in the air and allowed the sheath to slide onto his sword. "I think I'm a little too old to be fighting the Avatar."

Aang blinked unsurely. He watched Piandao's butler bring the sword master a drink and a cloth to wipe the dirt from his eyes. "How'd you know?"

"Oh, I've been around for awhile." Piandao answered coolly, wiping his eyes. He smiled over at Sokka as the boy stood up. "I knew Sokka was from the Water Tribe from the start. Next time, you might want to think of a better Fire Nation cover name. Try 'Lee'. There are hundreds of them. Also, do you think I wouldn't recognize the young princess." He smiled warmly over at the startled Lan.

Lan scooted closer to Aang. "Why'd you train Sokka if you knew he was Water Tribe? Are you going to rat us out?"

"The art of sword fighting doesn't belong to any one nation. Knowledge of the arts belongs to us all. I won't reveal your secret to anyone." He walked over to Sokka's sword and held it out to him. "You must continue your training on your own. If you remain on this path, I know you will become a greater sword master than even me someday."

Sokka smiled warmly and took the sword from Piandao. They both bowed to each other before the group departed the castle. Sokka wore his sword proudly at his side. They had just exited the main gates when Piandao's butler rushed up to them.

He handed a small brown bag to Sokka. "The master wanted you to have this, as something to remember him by." The butler bowed to all of them before turning and heading back into the castle.

Sokka blinked and pulled out the contents of the bag. "A Pai Sho tile? What's that for?"

Lan gasped when she saw the white lotus on the tile. "Oh! He's from the same group as Grandpa!"


	31. Combustion Man

**AvatarCat12: Haha, yes, Sokka is very easy to make happy again**

**Sakura02: Maybe it's a mini-cliffhanger?**

**Thank you: Shifuni, ilovezim123, and AnimeFreak818 for reviewing!**

* * *

Lan splashed happily around in the water. She hadn't gone swimming in a long time. She'd almost forgotten how nice it felt to just relax and swim around. She giggled when Aang came up behind her and tickled her. "Stop it!"

Aang grinned. He was glad to see Lan finally smiling without the sadness behind her eyes. His grin didn't falter even when Lan splashed him in the face.

Toph sighed and kicked her legs in the water. "I know swimming is great and all, Aang, but should you really be exposing yourself like that? You need to cover up!"

"I'm wearing trunks." Aang protested, looking down to make sure they hadn't somehow come off.

Lan paddled beside Aang. "I think Toph is talking about your tattoos. Anybody could walk by and see them."

"You and Toph worry too much, Lan." Aang said coolly. "There are walls all around us. It's completely safe here." Aang grinned suddenly when he saw a tunnel that reminded him of a water slide. He grabbed Lan's hand. "Come on. This will be fun."

Before Lan could ask him what he was talking about, they were propelling down the winding tunnel with the water. At first, all Lan could do was scream in terror. Once she realized that they weren't being flung to their death, she began laughing along with Aang.

"Let's do that again!" Aang cheered once they reached the bottom.

Lan looked around nervously. They were out in the open and completely exposed. "I don't know, Aang."

Aang grinned, wrapping his arms around Lan and using an air blast to take them back up to where everyone else was waiting. Katara was waiting anxiously for the two of them. "Don't do that again! That was incredibly dangerous! What if someone had seen the two of you?"

"That's what I was saying in the first place, but no!" Toph fumed. "You all said it was perfectly safe!"

"Nobody saw us." Aang protested, finally letting go of Lan. He gently placed the Fire Nation princess on her own two feet.

Lan nodded in agreement. "I didn't see anyone around. I think we're still safe."

Katara sighed. "Be that as it may, I don't think you two should do that anymore."

"Okay." Lan and Aang said in unison. The rest of the day went by rather slowly. As soon as the sun had set, the group went to sleep.

Lan didn't think she'd been asleep for very long when she started dreaming about the masked woman. She waited expectantly for the woman to begin speaking, but she was awoken by Toph.

"Guys, I know this is going to sound crazy, but I swear there's a metal man coming towards us." Toph said as the entire group finally woke up.

Lan looked sleepily up at the top of natural wall only to see a very intimidating looking man standing there and glaring down at the group. Lan rubbed her eyes. "What do you think he wants?"

"Well, I don't think he's here for tea and cookies." Sokka managed to get out just as the man sent an explosion at the group from the third eye on his forehead.

Katara grabbed Lan and held her close to protective her from any debris that may fly by. "Stay down, Lan!" Katara shouted before standing up and sending a stream of water at the man. Her efforts were in vain as the man created another explosion and turned the water into steam.

"This is not good." Lan muttered. She crawled behind a large rock with the rest of the group. "How are we supposed to beat someone that can blow stuff up with his mind?"

"My thoughts exactly!" Sokka piped up as another explosion went off over their heads.

"All of you jump on Appa!" Aang shouted, already crawling out from behind the safety of the rock. "I'll distract him!"

"Be careful, Aang!" Lan said, even though she knew Aang couldn't hear her as he was already out of sight. She climbed up onto Appa with the rest of the group. They flew overhead, waiting for Aang to finish fighting. Lan kept a close eye on Aang while he fought. As soon as she saw him flying through the air from a hit from the man, she let out a cry.

Appa caught Aang as he flew through the air. "Are you okay, Aang?" Lan asked worriedly.

Aang smiled reassuringly at her. "I'm fine. Just out of breath."

"That was really random." Toph said thoughtfully.

Katara shook her head. "I don't think it was. I think that man knew who we were…Did you know who he was, Lan?"

Lan shook her head. "I've never seen him in my life. He was wearing Fire Nation clothes, though…" Lan bit her lip nervously. Her thoughts drifted to Zuko. Was he all right? Did he miss her at all?

Aang's reassuring smile disappeared from his face. The happy light that had been in Lan's eyes earlier that afternoon was gone. He knew who she was thinking about. "Lan…"

* * *

A few days had passed since their run in with the strange man. Aang had awoken abruptly one morning and declared that they needed to visit Avatar Roku's home. They spent most of the morning riding on Appa to the island where Avatar Roku had lived.

"There it is!" Aang cried, pointing to a tiny island beneath them.

Lan peered over the edge of Appa's saddle as they landed on the island. "There's nothing here, though." The island was completely deserted, not even a tree in sight.

Toph shifted nervously and uncomfortably on the ground. "Yes there is. There's a whole village buried here under ash."

"What are you doing, Aang?" Lan asked curiously, watching the Avatar mill about the small island like he was looking for something.

"I need to meditate in order to talk to Roku." Aang explained. He finally found a rock that seemed to meet his needs. He plopped himself down and almost immediately began meditating.

"Lan, are you doing okay?" Katara asked suddenly. They didn't really have anything else to do while they waited for Aang to finish talking to Roku. She sat by the little girl and pulled her close.

Lan plastered on a quick smile. "I'm okay. Why?"

Katara chewed on her lip, finding the right words to say without upsetting the little girl. "You've just seemed so down the past couple days. Ever since we had that run in with that guy, you've gone back to being quiet and sullen."

Lan looked over to confirm that Sokka and Toph were distracted with exploring the tiny island. She leaned against Katara's side and played with the older girl's hair. "You'll get mad at me. Sokka will get mad and Toph will too. Even Aang will be mad."

"We won't be mad at you." Katara promised. "We're your friends. Please tell me what's wrong."

Lan hesitated again for a moment. "I miss Zuko. I know you guys don't like him, but he's my cousin. I miss him."

Katara sighed and hugged Lan closer. "It'll be okay, Lan. Everything will be okay."

Lan spent the night curled up next to Katara, holding on tightly to the older girl. When she woke up the next morning, Aang was out of his meditation. Aang woke the others up and quickly explained to them about Roku and Sozin's past together and how Sozin had left Roku to die in the end.

"It's like all these Fire Nation people are born bad." Toph grouched, earning herself a harsh pinch from Katara. "I mean, aside from you, Lan."

"I don't think that's what Roku was trying to show me." Aang said quickly, holding the now pouting Lan's hand. "Roku was just as much Fire Nation as Sozin was. If anything, the story proved that anyone is capable of great good or great evil. Everyone, even the Fire Lord and the Fire Nation have to be treated like they're worth giving a chance. Also, I think it was about friendships."

Toph tilted her head to the side curiously. "Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?"

Aang grabbed Toph's hand and grinned first at her and then at Lan. "I don't see why not."

Katara came over and took Toph's hand as well. Sokka looked at them all dubiously. "Scientifically speaking, there's no way to actually prove…"

Katara rolled her eyes and grabbed Sokka's hand. "Sokka, just be quiet and hold hands."

Sokka sighed, but took Lan's free hand in his. Lan grinned at the group of friends. She still missed her grandfather and Zuko terribly, but she wasn't alone. She was surrounded by people that loved her and that she loved in return. She just hoped that one day she could be reunited with her family.


	32. Scamming Gone Wrong

**AvatarCat12: I was originally going to only do one episode, but the chapter would've been way too short.**

**ilovezim123: No, I'd never really thought about that before! **

**Melody Sparrow: I'll explain Zuko's reasoning later on :)**

**Sakura02: I was originally going to have Lan go with Aang to the Spirit World, but I didn't like the way it came out so I just had Aang summarize everything.**

**Thanks: Lady Ishtar12123, photographyfreak15, and Shifuni for reviewing! **

* * *

Lan hummed happily to herself, playing with a wisp of fire. She glanced over at where Toph and Katara were supposed to be training Aang, only to see that the two were fighting each other in a huge mud puddle. Poor Aang stood there, blindfolded and confused. "They're doing it again, Sokka."

Sokka didn't hear Lan. He was too busy trying to sneak up on Aang. "Sneak Attack!"

Still blindfolded, Aang brought up a pillar of rock. "It's not a sneak attack if you scream it, Sokka." He took the blindfold off and looked over at Katara and Toph who were still fighting.

Lan giggled and skipped over to Aang. She latched onto his arm and looked a the two girls curiously. "Why don't they get along?"

Aang shrugged. He walked over to where Katara and Toph were still fighting with Lan attached to his arm. "Guys, I thought you were supposed to be training me."

Katara quickly composed herself and straightened. "That's enough training for today, Aang."

Toph rolled her eyes while Katara walked away. "While Katara gets cleaned up, we should all go have some fun."

Lan's eyes lit up and she cheered along with Sokka and Aang. The four of them made their way into the nearby town while Katara huffily stayed behind. Lan remained latched onto Aang's arm as they explored the town.

"So, what should we do with our last silver piece?" Aang asked curiously.

Toph grinned wickedly. "Why don't we get more money with it?" She pointed over to where a man was playing a shell game with a small group of people. "Games like those put you seeing people at a disadvantage. Everyone always guesses wrong because the dealer moves the rock at the last minute. I can feel when he does it with my earthbending."

Lan bit her lip nervously. "I don't know, Toph. My grandpa always said it's not good to play with people like that."

Toph huffed. "Fine. You can go back to camp and be no fun with Katara."

"No! I wanna stay with you guys!" Lan protested. She followed the rest of them over to the game table. She hid behind Aang while Toph easily duped the man, hoping no one noticed her. Lan cheered when Toph won them forty silver pieces. "You're awesome!"

Toph's chest swelled proudly. "I know. Let's go get some more provisions."

When they finally got back to camp, Katara was pacing. She looked up when the four of them came back, their arms full of provisions. She raised a curious eyebrow. "Where did you get the money for all that stuff?"

Lan grinned. "Toph got the money! She beat one of those guys that moves shells around all sneaky-like. It was so cool!"

"She used earthbending to win. So classic." Sokka said.

Katara folded her arms across her chest. "So, she cheated."

Toph rolled her eyes. "I cheated a cheater. What's so wrong about that?"

"This isn't something you guys should make a habit of." Katara said impatiently. "I don't like Lan going into town either. What if someone recognizes her."

"You just hate fun." Toph sneered. "Nobody recognized Lan today. Nothing bad happened."

Katara puffed her cheeks out. "I don't hate fun!" She looked around before grabbing poor Momo and putting him on her head. "See? Fun."

Aang smiled apologetically and watched Momo slide off of Katara's head. "I'll personally make you an Avatar promise that we won't do this ever again, Katara."

Over the next couple of days, Aang, Sokka, Lan, and Toph continued to go into town and scam various people. Each day, they'd return to camp with even more provisions and other things. Lan hadn't had so much fun in all of her life. She would sometimes imagine the disappointed scowl her grandfather would give her if he ever found out, but she pushed it to the back of her mind. When she was playing with Toph and the others, she could forget about how much she missed Iroh and Zuko. She could forget how betrayed and hurt she felt.

Katara glared reproachfully at the group lounging around. "These scams have gone far enough. If you keep doing them, something bad is going to happen."

Toph sighed in annoyance and sat up. She patted Lan's head reassuringly when she felt the little girl beside her shifting nervously. "Quit trying to scare the kid, Katara. Could you quit acting like a sourpuss for once?"

"I suppose I should act more like a wild child then?" Katara grit out.

Lan scooted away from the two bickering girls and over to Aang. She hated when the two of them fought. They always said the ugliest things to each other.

Toph threw her hands up. "Maybe if you acted like a wild child, you'd see how great we have it. We're traveling the world, making easy money, having fun, and we don't have any parents to tell us what to do."

Katara's annoyed face slipped a bit. "I see now. You're acting like this because of your parents. They were controlling over you, so you ran away. Now, you act like they don't even exist. You act like you hate them, but you don't. You just feel guilty about what you did to them."

Lan sighed as the two continued fighting. She leaned against Aang's side. "I wonder what it's like to have parents…"

Aang shrugged. "I didn't really know my parents. The monks took care me and I had lots of friends. You and I are a lot alike."

Lan gave Aang a small smile. She sat and talked with Aang until he went off to find Katara. Lan was content to just play by herself until Sokka returned from town. Sokka had a paper clutched tightly in his hand and a messenger hawk on his shoulder. "What's wrong, Sokka?"

Sokka ignored Lan and shoved the paper in Toph's face. "Toph, I found something you aren't going to like."

Toph frowned. "Well, it sounds like a piece of paper, but I'm assuming you are referring to what's on the piece of paper."

"It's a wanted picture of you!" Lan gasped. "Katara was right, Toph. You shouldn't play those games anymore."

Toph rolled her eyes. "Don't start being a wet blanket like Katara, Lan. You're all freaking out for nothing. I mean, think of all the money we've got now. We'll have plenty to fund Sokka's invasion plan."

Sokka nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I did have an awesome idea for making some armor for Appa…"

Toph grinned and handed Sokka a bag of money. "Here's some money for you to buy a nice and expensive map of the Fire Nation. Of course, this means that that wanted poster is just going to disappear, right?"

Lan looked incredulously between the two of them when Sokka nodded his agreement. "You two are setting a bad example for me." Her eyes lit up when Toph handed her a rather full bag of coins. "Can I buy a doll?"

"Sure." Toph said with a wide grin. "As long as you don't say anything to Katara."

Lan quickly nodded as Katara and Aang walked up. She grinned nervously at the two and quickly head the money behind her back. "Hi, Katara. Aang."

Katara raised an eyebrow when she saw the bird on Sokka's shoulder. "Tell me you did not buy a bird, Sokka." She patted Lan on the head.

Sokka grinned. "It's not just any bird. It's a messenger bird!"

"Cool." Aang said enthusiastically. "How does it work."

Lan giggled at the confused and unsure look on Sokka's face. "I'll help you learn how to use a messenger bird, Sokka. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it."

Sokka didn't get a chance to respond. Momo had spotted the Hawky the messenger bird and he did not approve. Poor Sokka had become an unwilling battle ground for the two animals.

Later in the day, Sokka and Toph went off into town, leaving Katara, Aang, and Lan behind. Lan had noticed Katara going through Toph's things, but she didn't say anything. She knew better than to get between the two girls when they were fighting.

"Lan, come here." Katara beckoned the little princess over to her. She had a small book in her hand. "I want you to read to me."

"Okay." Lan snuggled against Katara's side as Katara opened the book. She read each word slowly and carefully. This was one of the hardest books Lan had ever read, but Katara kept encouraging her through the tricky words.

Katara glanced up when Sokka and Toph walked back into the camp. She frowned disapprovingly. "I suppose you two were off scamming people again."

Toph shrugged her shoulders carelessly. "Yes, we were."

Lan quickly rushed over to stand between Aang and Sokka. She flinched as the two girls arguing had now escalated into a full blown screaming match. "Should we try and stop them?"

Sokka shook his head. "Not if we want to live."

Toph glared furiously at Katara. "You're not my mom and you're not their mom either! You think you can just boss us all around, but you can't! You're a kid just like us, so stop acting like you can tell me what to do!"

"I don't act like that!" Katara shrieked. She whipped around to Sokka and the others. "Sokka, do I act motherly?"

Sokka held his hands up defensively. "I'm staying out of this one."

Still fuming, Katara turned to Aang. "What do you think…Aang, stop rubbing your eyes when someone is talking to you!"

Aang quickly straightened. "Yes ma'am!"

"Lan?" Katara asked, hopefully.

Lan shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't ever know my mom, so I don't know how a mom is supposed to act."

This seemed to take even Toph aback. Toph quickly recovered her anger towards Katara. "I can't be around you right now!"

"Well, I can't be around you!" Katara shouted back. The two girls stormed off in opposite directions. Katara went off further while Toph remained in camp, sulking.

Sokka scratched the back of his neck. "I'll talk to Toph."

"Lan, you really never knew your mom?" Aang asked the little girl.

Lan shook her head. "I thought you all knew that. My daddy died during the war and my mommy died giving birth to me. My aunt took care of me, but then she disappeared when I was really little so I don't remember her much. The only family I've ever had is Zuko and Grandpa."

"I'm sorry." Aang said softly.

Lan gave Aang a wide grin. "It's okay. Like I said, I don't really know what it's like to have a mom, so I can't really be sad about it." She blinked as Aang was suddenly hugging her. "What's wrong, Aang?"

Aang shook his head and just held Lan. "Nothing, Lan. Nothing." He let her go just as Sokka and Toph walked back into the camp. "Where's Katara?"

Katara walked up a few minutes later. "Hey, Toph. I just wanted to…"

Toph quickly cut Katara off. "You don't need to apologize. I was the one being stupid, not you. These scams are out of control, and I'm done with them."

Katara grinned slyly. "Actually, I was going to say that I wanted to pull a scam with you. I thought it would be a good girl bonding sort of thing. Lan, you in?"

Lan blinked before a wide grin split across her face. "Sure!"

Toph rubbed her hands together in excitement. "Now, what's this plan of yours?"

* * *

"You betrayed me!" Toph screamed angrily. She was bound and laying helplessly on the ground in the town square.

Katara frowned down at her. "You brought this on yourself! I didn't have a choice."

Lan had to keep herself from giggling. This was all part of their scheme. Toph would be turned in by Katara so that Katara could collect the reward. Then, Toph would metalbend herself out of the jail and they would leave before anyone was the wiser.

The mayor of the town came up to Katara and Lan. "You did the right thing by turning The Runaway in."

"Someone has to teach my sweet little sister that scamming just isn't right. Doing the right thing is its own reward after all." She waited for a moment while the mayor just stood there. "I do still want the reward."

"Of course. Right this way."

Lan held Katara's hand as the mayor led them off to get the reward. Despite how well everything was going, she couldn't help the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She fidgeted nervously while they waited for the mayor to give them the money. She soon saw what it was that was making her so uneasy. "Katara…" She whispered, tugging on the older girl's hand.

Katara turned around only to see the assassin from before standing there, glaring at both of them. He dragged both girls towards the jail and threw Katara into the same wooden cell as Toph. He dragged Lan to the metal cell next to them.

Lan immediately began crying as soon as the assassin walked away. "I don't want to die!"

"Calm down." Katara reassured. "We're not going to die." She sighed. "This is why I'm so against these types of things."

"But…this was your idea." Lan pointed out, earning her an irritable sigh from Katara.

"I just didn't want you guys thinking I was so motherly." Katara explained. "I know your relationship with your parents is rough, Toph. I shouldn't have said what I said."

"It's okay." Toph assured. "I was mad because what you said is true. When I left, I probably really did hurt my parents."

"I don't mind you acting motherly." Lan piped up. "I've never really had a mother, so you're the closest I've ever come to seeing what one is supposed to be like."

"As soon as we get out of here, I'm giving you a hug, Lan." Katara sniffled.

"How are we going to get out of here anyway?" Toph asked. "You know that guy is using us as bait to get Aang."

Lan shifted around, trying to think of a way for them to get out. She frowned when she heard the sound of running. "What're you guys doing over there?"

"I'm making my own water!" Katara said breathlessly, clearly being the one that was running.

Lan could hear the sound of Katara slicing the wooden beams with her sweat that she was bending. As soon as the other two girls were out, they rushed to the cell Lan was in and Toph easily metalbended Lan out.

Katara gave Lan a quick hug. "We don't have much time. Let's go find Sokka and Aang." The girls quickly ran out of the jail. Almost immediately, they ran into Sokka who quickly explained that the assassin was after them and had cornered Aang. The group ran straight to the center of town just in time to see the assassin knock Aang to the ground. Katara shot ice right into the assassin's face. "Aang, get up!"

"Let's get out of here!" Lan shouted. The group ran out of the village as fast as their legs could carry them.

"Hey, I just thought of a perfect name for that guy! Combustion Man!" Sokka exclaimed proudly.

Lan rolled her eyes. "More running, less coming up with stupid names."

Sokka pouted. "I think it's a good name…"

"It's just fine, Sokka." Katara said. "Now let's get out of here before Combustion Man catches us."


	33. Blood Moon

**Gahhh! I've been so bad about updating these past few months! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me for being a horrible author!**

**AvatarCat12: I really liked the Legend of Korra. Not sure if I care for Korra herself, though. I'll have to keep watching.**

**Sakura02: Lol, that's 'cause Lan has an awesome grandpa like Iroh. **

**Thanks: ilovezim123, shifuni, and Melody Sparrow for reviewing!**

* * *

Lan snuggled against Katara happily while the older girl idly braided her hair. It was late and Lan was getting sleepy. She didn't want to go to sleep before the others, though, so she did her best not to yawn and focus on Sokka's story.

Sokka looked at the group while he told his story. "They heard something coming down the hallway…when it came into the torchlight, they knew the blade of Wing-Fun was haunted!"

"That was stupid." Lan said after a moment. "The man with a sword for a hand was scarier." She looked up when Katara shifted around.

"I know a story, and it's a real Southern Water Tribe story." Katara said quietly. "One winter, when my mom was a girl, a snowstorm buried the whole village for weeks. A month later, Mom realized she hadn't seen her friend Nini since the storm. So mom and some others went to check on Nini's family. When they got there, no one was home, just a fire flickering in the fireplace. While the men went out to search, Mom stayed in the house. When she was alone, she heard a voice, 'It's so cold and I can't get warm.' Mom turned and saw Nini standing by the fire. She was blue, like she was frozen. Mom ran outside for help. When every one came back, Nini was gone. Nini's house stands empty to this day. But sometimes, people see smoke coming up from the chimney, like little Nini is still trying to get warm."

Lan shuddered and scooted over to Aang. She latched onto him. "I liked Sokka's story better…it wasn't scary."

Toph laughed. "Don't worry, Lan. There's no such thing as ghost."

Aang looked down at Lan and was surprised to see the thoughtful look on her face. "Lan? What's wrong?"

Lan blinked out of her stupor and grinned up at Aang. "Nothing." She thought about that night in Ba Sing Se when she'd seen her mother and father. She hadn't told anyone about that night, nor about the woman in the mask. She wanted to tell Aang, but not with the others around. She knew Aang would know what to say and what to do about the masked woman.

Toph's head suddenly shot up and she looked around. "Did you guys hear that? I heard people screaming under the mountain."

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Nice try, Toph."

"You're probably just jumpy from the stories." Katara said, trying to reassure both Toph and Lan who was looking very nervous.

"They just stopped…" Toph said quietly.

Lan held tighter to Aang. "I'm scared…"

"Hello children."

Aang screamed along with the others. He scooped Lan up and the group immediately latched onto each other in a tight circle. "I can't breathe, guys!" Lan gasped out. Once they had all let go of each other, Lan caught her breath and looked closely at the person. It was an elderly looking woman who stood just outside their campsite. She was smiling pleasantly at the group, but something about her bothered Lan. She latched onto Katara and hid behind the teenager.

The old woman's smile didn't waver at all. "I didn't mean to frighten all of you. My name is Hama. You children really shouldn't be out in the forest at night. I have an inn close by. Why don't you all come with me and we'll get you some spiced tea and warm beds to sleep in."

"Yes please." Sokka answered for the group. They all began walking away with Hama, except for Lan. Sokka noticed and walked back to the nervous girl. He knelt down and smiled at her. "Hey, don't be scared. Nobody's going to find out who we are. Just stay close to me if you feel scared, okay?"

Lan smiled and held onto the hand that Sokka offered her. They caught up quickly enough to the group who hadn't seemed to notice their brief absence. Lan was feeling rather sleepy when they finally reached the inn. She sat in the chair that Sokka plunked her into without protest. She gave Hama a small smile when the old woman handed her a cup of tea. "Thank you."

Hama smiled at all the children as she handed them each a cup of tea. She sat down once she'd poured herself a cup. "You should all really be more careful. People have been disappearing in those woods recently."

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked curiously. He reached out and patted Lan's head when he saw how nervous the little girl was.

"When the moon turns full, people walk into the forest, but they don't come out." She smiled brightly at the group. "Who wants some more tea?" When she noticed how frightened the children looked, her smile softened. "Don't worry; you're safe here. Why don't I show you all to your rooms and you can get a good nights rest?"

* * *

Lan managed to stay in her room by herself for five minutes. She hopped out of her bed and went down the hallway to where she knew Sokka's room was. Quietly, she opened the door to find Sokka sitting up on his bed.

Sokka looked scared when he first saw his door opening, but relaxed when he saw Lan poke her head through the door. "Hey, couldn't sleep?"

Lan shook her head and ran over to Sokka's bedside. She climbed up and snuggled against his side. "It's creepy here…"

Sokka nodded and hugged Lan to his side. "Yeah…Momo's pretty freaked out too."

Lan smiled and held her arms opened to Momo when the flying lemur stuck his head out from under the covers. She held him close when he flew into her arms. "Can we leave soon? I don't like it here."

"We won't stay here long. I promise." Sokka said. He laid back down and let Lan curl up against his side. He looked down at the little girl a few minutes later to find her sound asleep with Momo curled up in her arms. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "At least you'll get some sleep…" He fell asleep a minute after her, his snores filling the room.

Lan was awoken the next morning by someone playing with her hair. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and turned around to find Katara smiling at her. She sat up and sleepily rubbed her eyes. "Hi, Katara."

"Good morning. Let's hurry and get you ready. We're going shopping." Katara chirped, helping Lan out of the bed and into her clothes.

"My, it's so sweet to see such a good big sister." Hama sighed out.

Both Katara and Lan grinned at each other. The group ate a quick breakfast and then made their way into town. Lan walked at the front of Katara and Hama while the others walked a few feet behind them. They already had most of their groceries and had just walked away from one stall when Katara spoke up. "I think Mr. Yao has a thing for you. Maybe we should go back and see if he'll give us some free Komodo sausages."

Hama glared at Katara. "You would have me use my feminine charms to take advantage of that poor man?" Her face suddenly split into a grin. "I think you and I are going to get along fabulously."

Lan rolled her eyes. "People act stupid when they like each other. They get all weird and mushy." Lan declared, crinkling her nose at the thought.

Hama chuckled and patted Lan's head. "Surely a cute little girl like you has a boy she fancies?"

Thoughts of Lee and Shoji flashed through Lan's mind briefly. She quickly shook her head and ignored the deep blush that had made its way to her cheeks. "No! Boys are stupid!"

Hama cackled while Katara simply giggled at Lan's embarrassment. "Why don't you all take these things back to the inn." Hama said suddenly. "I just need to run a couple more errands. I'll be back soon."

Sokka looked at her suspiciously. "This is a mysterious town you've got here."

"A mysterious town for mysterious children." Hama answered cryptically before walking off.

The group made their way back to the inn in silence. While they were putting the food away, Sokka spoke up. "She seems like she's hiding something…or that she knows something."

Katara rolled her eyes. "You're being ridiculous, Sokka. She's just a nice old lady that took us in."

Lan chewed thoughtfully on her lip. "I don't know…"

"I'm going to look around." Sokka announced, walking out of the kitchen before any of the others could say anything.

Lan was the first to run after him with the rest close on her heels. "What're you looking for, Sokka?"

Sokka shrugged, tugging on a set of cabinet doors. "I don't know. I'll know it when I…" He let out a scream as he finally managed to get the doors open. A group of marionettes dangled inside, their strings keeping them in the cabinet.

Katara rolled her eyes. "So she's got a hobby. There's nothing wrong with that." She firmly closed the doors to the cabinet shut. "You've looked enough, Sokka. Hama will be back any minute and you're going to get all of us in trouble."

Ignoring Katara, Sokka made his way up the stairs that led to the attic. He pulled on the door at the top and frowned. "If she's got nothing to hide, then why is this door locked?"

"Probably to keep idiots like you out." Katara snapped.

Lan fiddled with the hem of her dress nervously. "I don't like this. Can we please go back downstairs?"

"There's just a chest in there." Sokka said quietly.

Toph grinned. "Maybe there's treasure."

Sokka's eyes lit up and he began picking the lock with the tip of his sword. He ignored Katara's protest and Lan begging for all of them to go back downstairs. When the door finally opened, Sokka was the first to step in. He picked the chest up and tried to open it. "It's locked. I wonder if there's a key around here somewhere."

Toph rolled her eyes and pulled the bracelet off her arm. "Give it here." She molded the bracelet into a key and unlocked the chest. The group crowded around with bated breath to see what was inside.

"If you want to know so badly, I can tell you." Hama said quietly from the doorway. She smiled when all the children whipped around guiltily. She took the box from Sokka's hands and pulled out a simple blue and white comb. "This is my greatest treasure. It's the last thing I own from growing up in the Southern Water Tribe."

"You're from the Southern Water Tribe?" Katara blurted out, just as shocked as everyone else.

"Yes, just like you." Hama answered, the smile still on her face. "I heard you all talking around the campfire last night. I was going to surprise you with a big Water Tribe style feast tonight."

Katara couldn't help beaming. "I knew I felt a bond with you right away!"

"And I knew she was hiding something, so we were both right." Sokka received a glare from Katara. "Sorry we were sneaking around."

Hama smiled and waved her hand. "Think nothing of it. Now, let's get cooking!"

Once all the food was prepared, the group sat down to eat. Lan watched in amazement as Hama sent soup flying into all of their bowls. "You're a waterbender like Katara!"

"I've never known another waterbender from our tribe." Katara said quietly.

Hama's smile faded. "That's because they were all wiped out by the Fire Nation. I was the last one."

"How'd you end up here?" Sokka asked curiously.

Hama was silent for a moment. "I was stolen from my home. It was over sixty years ago that the raids started. The Fire Nation came again and again, each time taking more waterbenders captive. We did our best to hold them off, but our numbers dwindled with each raid. Finally, I too was captured. I was led away in chains. The last waterbender of the Southern Tribe…They put us in terrible prisons here in the Fire Nation. I was the only one that managed to escape."

Lan lowered her head, ashamed of what her people had done, and of all the pain they had caused. She looked over at Katara who was consoling Hama. "Why'd you stay here once you escaped?" Lan asked.

"How'd you escape." Sokka added.

Hama turned her face away. "I'm sorry. It's too painful to talk about."

Katara nodded solemnly. "It's okay. We lost our mother in a raid."

"You poor things." Hama whispered. She looked up at Katara. "I'd like to teach you what I know, so that you can carry on the Southern Water Tribe traditions when I'm gone."

Katara's eyes lit up. "Of course! It would be an honor!"

The next day, while Katara was off learning with Hama, Lan and the others were looking for what could possibly anger a spirit enough for it to steal people away. Lan picked a few yellow flowers and began braiding them together. "It's so pretty here. Do you think a spirit could really be that mad at these people?"

Toph shrugged. "Maybe the moon spirit just turned evil."

Sokka whipped around angrily. "The moon spirit is a gentle, loving lady! She rules the night sky with compassion and…and…lunar goodness!" He looked over at Lan for support, but saw that she was focused intently on the yellow flowers. "You okay, Lan?"

Lan blinked and gave Sokka a quick smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking…" Her smile faded away and she went back to playing with the flowers. She wondered if Sokka and Katara secretly hated her. She wouldn't blame them after everything her people had put them through.

Aang noticed a traveler walking by and waved at him. "Excuse me, sir, could you tell us about the spirit that's been stealing people?"

The man thought for a moment. "Old Man Ding is the only one that's seen the spirit and lived to tell about it."

"Where can we find him?" Sokka asked excitedly. Once the man had given them directions, Sokka jumped up. "Let's go talk to him." While Aang and Toph had already begun to walk away, Sokka noticed Lan standing there with her flower chain clutched tightly in her hand. "Hey, what's wrong, Lan? You've been acting weird since dinner last night."

"I'm sorry…" Lan said so quietly that Sokka could barely hear her.

Sokka tilted his head to the side. "For what?"

Lan sniffled and began crying. "For everything the Fire Nation has done to you and Katara. We took your mom away from you…Zuko's been after you guys from the beginning…your dad had to leave to fight…"

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Come on, Lan. You know I'm useless when you start crying. Katara always knows what to say…" He plucked the chain of flowers from Lan's hand and tied the ends together. He placed the crown of flowers on top of Lan's head. "We don't blame you for any of that. I'll admit, I didn't like you at first because of your cousin, but you're a good girl, Lan. None of us hate you."

Lan stopped crying and looked at Sokka. "Really?" When Sokka nodded, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. "Thank you."

"Come on." Sokka said, disentangling himself from Lan and taking her hand. "After we talk to Old Man Ding, we're going to sit down with Katara and talk. We can't have you feeling guilty about something you didn't do."

Night had fallen by the time they reached Old Man Ding's house. They found him outside his home, nailing boards to the window. "Um, Old Man Ding?" Aang asked hesitantly.

Startled, Old Man Ding slammed the hammer on his finger. He howled in pain and dropped the board on the ground. "Why does everyone call me that? I'm not that old!" He tried to pick the board up, but wasn't able to bend all the way down. "Well…I'm young at heart." He nodded to Aang when Aang handed him the board. "If you'll excuse me, I'm not ready to be snatched up by no angry moon spirit."

Sokka began nailing the board onto the window. "We wanted to ask you about that."

"Did you see the spirit that tried to take you?" Lan asked hopefully.

Old Man Ding shook his head. "I didn't see no spirit. My body just felt like it was possessed. I started to walk towards the mountain, and there wasn't nothin I could do about it. I tried fighting, but I couldn't control my limbs. It got me to the cave up there, and I looked up at the moon for my last glimpse of light. Then, the sun started risin' and I could control myself again. I ran from the mountain as fast as I could."

"Why would a spirit want to take people to the mountain?" Sokka asked thoughtfully.

Toph gasped suddenly. "The people I heard under the mountain! The villagers must still be there!"

The group rushed through the village, through the forest, and straight to the mountain. Toph paused for a moment and put her hand on the ground. "They're this way!" They finally reached the cave at the foot of the mountain.

"I can't see anything…" Sokka said.

Lan held up a small flame in her hand and took Sokka's hand. She smiled up at him. "I'll light the way." The group quietly made their way through the cave until they came upon a metal door with two torches on either side of it. Lan extinguished her flame while Sokka and Aang grabbed the two torches. Toph made easy work of the metal door with just two punches knocking it off its hinges.

Aang gasped at the sight of dozens of men and women chained to the walls of the cave. "Why would a spirit make a prison like this?"

"It wasn't a spirit; it was a witch." One of the women said. She smiled gratefully at Toph as the girl unlocked her from her chains.

"It was the innkeeper. She looks like an ordinary old woman, but she can control people like a dark Puppetmaster." Another prisoner piped up.

Lan gasped. "Katara is with her!"

"You guys go find Katara and Hama." Toph said. "I'll get these people out."

Lan, Sokka, and Aang all rushed off to find Katara and Hama. By the time they did, Katara and Hama were already busy fighting. "Leave Katara alone!" Lan shouted furiously.

"We know what you've been doing, Hama!" Sokka said. "You're outnumbered now, so just give up!"

Hama smirked evilly. "No. You've just outnumbered yourselves."

Lan gasped as her body began moving against her will. She was jerked and thrown to the ground violently. She tried to look up, but her head wouldn't move. She could see Sokka and Aang both attacking Katara. "Stop it! Why are you doing this?"

Hama looked at Lan closely. Hatred suddenly blazed in her eyes. "I recognize you. I've seen your portrait before. You're Princess Lan, aren't you." She grinned over at Katara. "You better stop your friends from hurting each other. That poor little girl might not live to see the next sunrise."

"Lan, move!" Sokka shouted, his sword arm extended as he rushed towards Lan. Aang was pinned to the ground and couldn't move.

Against her will, Lan was yanked violently up onto her knees so that Sokka's sword was aimed directly for her heart. "I can't!" Lan sobbed out, tears pouring down her cheeks. She was about to be killed by Sokka. She felt the sword touch her chest just as Katara shouted. She found she was suddenly able to control her movements. She tried to stand up, but her legs collapsed underneath her.

Sokka scooped her up and held her close, his sword sheathed. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

Lan shook her head and buried her face in his neck. "No…I'm okay." She sniffled out. She glanced over just as the villagers came into the area with Toph leading the way. She watched them put Hama in shackles. She rushed over to a distraught Katara as soon as Sokka put her down.

Hama cackled as she was led away. "My work is done. Congratulations, Katara. You're now a bloodbender, thanks to that little Fire Nation girl. You should've at least let him kill her before you stopped me."

Katara collapsed to her knees and began sobbing. She looked up when she felt small arms wrapping around her neck. She looked down, her teary blue eyes meeting Lan's amber ones. She pulled Lan close to her, both girls sobbing with the full moon hanging overhead.


	34. Disturbing Dreams

**AvatarCat12: Korra is pretty good so far :)**

**XxAmi. IzunexX: Earth, fire, water, and air are the only bending techniques. However, three of the four have various other things they are able to manipulate. Earthbenders have the ability to bend metal as well. Water can bend ice, sweat, and even blood. Fire can bend lightning as well. Hope that clears that up :)**

**Thank you: QueenOfAshes, Melody Sparrow, chickenchick, MS-16 Z Jager, erica. phoneix16, and ilovezim123 for reviewing!**

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"This is it." Sokka announced as they landed Appa on a secluded island. "This is the official rendezvous for the invasion force."

Lan managed to hoist herself out of Appa's saddle before collapsing to the ground. She was completely exhausted from the long day of traveling. She looked blearily around at all the Koala-Sheep milling around the island. "How'd you pick this place, Sokka?"

Sokka grinned proudly. "Before we split up, my dad and I found this place on the map. It's uninhabited and the cliffs around the harbor make it completely secluded. It's perfect."

Katara helped Lan up and began rolling out the girl's sleeping bag. "Good job, Sokka. We're even four days ahead of schedule." She tucked Lan into her sleeping bag and smoothed her frazzled black hair down. "Good night, Lan."

Lan nodded and slowly drifted off to sleep, the last thing she heard being Aang's frantic shout of worry. As soon as she was completely asleep, she found herself standing in front of the masked woman. "Why won't you just leave me alone?"

The woman tilted her head to the side, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Please, just leave me alone!" Lan shouted angrily.

She woke up suddenly and looked frantically around. She looked over and saw Aang sitting up as well. "Did you have a bad dream too?" She asked quietly.

Aang nodded slowly. He crawled out of his sleeping bag and over to Lan. "What'd you dream about?"

Lan bit her lip. She hadn't told anyone about the masked lady yet, not even her grandfather. She gave Aang a bright smile. "I don't really remember. What about you?"

"Um, I don't really wanna talk about it." Aang muttered. "I'm going to train for a little bit. Wanna come with me?"

"Sure." Lan answered, getting up and following Aang. She didn't really think she could fall back asleep. She didn't want to speak to the woman. She wasn't sure how long she sat there and watched Aang punching a tree. She blinked when she realized the sun was up and that the rest of the group was waking up.

Katara raised an eyebrow at the two. "How long have you two been awake?"

"I don't know." Lan answered, letting out a loud yawn.

Katara rolled her eyes and went over to the two. She helped Lan up off the ground and smoothed her hair down. "You know, Aang, there is such a thing as too much training."

"You don't get it!" Aang shouted angrily. "My form is sloppy and I don't even know the basics of firebending! I have to keep training!"

Sokka came over to them and patted Aang on the head. "Hey, calm down. The eclipse will block all firebending abilities. Lan, you okay? You look really pale."

Lan gave a small smile and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, I guess."

Katara frowned, but decided not to say anything. She remembered that the Painted Lady had mentioned something about the eclipse, but neither the spirit nor Lan had elaborated. She could tell Lan was very upset by something, but she didn't want to upset the girl more by forcing her to talk about whatever it was that was upsetting her.

"I need to keep training." Aang said, creating an air ball and flying off.

Lan didn't talk to the rest of the group all day. She stared blankly out at the sea, her eyes following the sun as it moved across the sky. She didn't even notice Katara coming up behind her as the sun began setting.

"Lan, sweetie, I think you should go to bed early tonight." Katara said softly, placing a hand on Lan's shoulder.

"No!" Lan shouted, pulling away from Katara's hand. Tears welled up in her eyes and she immediately began sobbing. "I don't want to go to sleep! I want Zuko! I want my grandpa! I don't want the eclipse to happen!"

Katara pulled Lan into a hug. "Lan, what's going on? You haven't been sleeping the past week and now this? Is it because of the invasion?"

Sokka came over. "What's wrong with Lan? Are you worried because you won't be able to use your bending during the eclipse? Don't worry, Lan. We'll make sure nothing happens to you."

Lan wiped her eyes. "Yeah…I guess I'm just scared about not being able to firebend. I've never not been able to bend, so the thought really scares me."

Katara smiled warmly and rubbed Lan's back soothingly. "It's okay, Lan. We won't let anything happen to you. Will you please try and get some sleep tonight?"

"Yes…" Lan said quietly. She allowed Katara to lead her over to her sleeping bag and tuck her in. Lan shifted around until she found a comfortable spot and slowly went to sleep.

The woman was waiting for her. She held her hand out to Lan, her head inclined.

Lan shook her head. "I don't want to go with you. I want to stay with Aang and the others. I want to see Zuko and my grandpa again!"

"Lan, wake up!" Aang shouted, shaking the little girl roughly.

Lan sat up abruptly and looked frantically around. For some reason, Sokka was climbing a rock wall. "What's wrong?"

"I dreamed about how you all died during the invasion! Sokka couldn't climb up a rock wall when we tried to get away. Toph ruined everything because she drank water before the invasion and then she had to pee. Katara's hair got caught in a train, and you…a masked woman came and took you away!"

While Katara tried to reassure Aang that everything was going to be okay, Lan went very pale. She composed herself before any of the others noticed. "You're probably just having these dreams because of how stressed you are."

Sokka nodded in agreement from his spot on the cliff. "You have every right to freak out. You have to go up against the fire lord, the meanest guy on the planet. If you don't beat him, we're all done for."

Katara glared over at Sokka. "You aren't helping." Her eyes suddenly lit up. "I think I know something that will, though." She led Aang away from the group just as Sokka fell down from the cliff.

Lan giggled. She turned when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Toph?"

"What's wrong with you?" Toph asked, sitting next to Lan. "You got really freaked when Aang was talking."

Lan bit her lip. "I guess I'm just scared about not being able to use my bending…"

"You're lying." Toph said, cutting the little girl off. "We're your friends. We want to help you."

"I don't want to make Aang worry more than he already is…or the rest of you." Lan said quietly. "I'm okay, really. I promise, after the invasion, I'll tell you all."

Toph frowned and reluctantly nodded. "Okay. You better keep your promise."

The next couple of days were stressful for everyone. Aang became more and more distressed and Lan became more distant. Neither Lan nor Aang slept much, Aang still complaining about his nightmares about fighting the Fire Lord. Lan refused to tell the others what was bothering her. She woke up every night crying for Zuko and Iroh.

"Lan, come help us make a bed for Aang." Katara approached the little girl the day before the invasion. She frowned at the dark bags under Lan's eyes. "Maybe we should make one for you too."

Lan reached out and wrapped her arms around Katara and began crying. "I don't want to…I don't want to go…"

"You don't want to go to the invasion?" Katara asked worriedly. She knelt down and pulled Lan closer. "Are you worried about fighting your family? You can stay here on the island and wait for us. You don't have to go."

Lan shook her head and continued crying. "No! I want to help, I do!" The rest of her words were lost as she sobbed into Katara's dress. Eventually, she cried herself to sleep in Katara's arms.

"Do I really have to go with you?" Lan asked the masked woman quietly.

The masked woman nodded patiently. "Yes." Her voice was surprisingly sweet and soothing, but with a strong undertone. "That was the deal your mother made. Tomorrow, during the eclipse, you will return to me."


	35. Eclipse

**Sorry I've been gone so long everyone! Been going through a lot these past few months. On the plus side, I did finish the fourth draft of my novel! Two more drafts before I start sending it out to agents. So excited!**

**Sakura02: Haha, isn't there always emoness for our babies?**

**Thank you: ilovezim123, AvatarCat12, erica. phoenix16, MS-16 Z Jager, Melody Sparrow, Moonlitdaze, Aims5, and ZabuzasGirl for your reviews!**

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"Did you sleep well, Lan?" Katara asked as the little girl came over to where she, Toph, and Sokka were all sitting.

Lan nodded and sleepily rubbed her eyes. "Yes. I'm ready to go."

"Glad you're so enthusiastic, but we're not leaving just yet." Sokka mumbled, continuing to pour over the maps in front of him.

Lan plopped down next to him and leaned against his side. "Is Aang still asleep?"

"Good morning everyone!" Aang shouted cheerfully, running over to the group with a huge grin on his face. "I'm ready to face the Fire Lord today!" He went over to Lan and patted her head. "Are you sure you want to go with us, Lan? You can just wait here for us."

Lan quickly shook her head. "No way! I'm going with you guys!" She squinted out at the harbor and frowned. "Are we going to be able to have the invasion with all that fog?"

Sokka grinned and stood up. "That fog is the invasion!"

The group quickly ran towards the shore. Aang and Toph quickly made a dock for the ships. Lan lingered a few yards away as the people on the boats began to descend onto the land. While Hakoda and Bato knew her, she wasn't sure how any of the other newcomers would take to someone from the Fire Nation being there.

Aang noticed Lan keeping her distance. He ran over to her and took her hand. "It's okay, Lan. Nobody's going to pick on you. If they do, I'll have something to say about it."

Lan gave a small smile to Aang and squeezed his hand. She bit her lip thoughtfully. "Aang?"

"What's wrong, Lan?" Aang asked curiously.

"Nothing. Never mind." Lan plaster a smile on her face and tugged Aang back over towards the group. She was introduced to Haru and the waterbenders from the swamp. They all whipped around when they heard a loud explosions from one of the boats.

Aang grinned once they all realized that it was just one of The Mechanist's inventions. "Lan, I want you to meet Teo and his father. They're inventors."

"Lan, long time no see!" The Duke said from his usual spot on Pipsqueak's shoulders.

Lan grinned and waved. "Hey guys!"

Sokka cleared his throat and got everyone's attention. "If everyone could come sit down, we'll get started on the briefing."

Katara pulled Lan into her lap and smoothed her hair down while Sokka started talking. She raised an eyebrow as Sokka began to babble about their adventure from the very beginning. "Does he really think everyone needs to know this stuff?"

"I think he's just nervous." Lan whispered. She hoped Sokka saw her smile of encouragement.

Hakoda finally put a hand on Sokka's shoulder. "Why don't you take a break, Sokka. I'll finish debriefing everyone."

Lan zoned out while Hakoda explained the battle plan. She already knew it by heart because of Sokka. She began mentally preparing herself for what would happen during the eclipse. She'd need to get away from the others. She couldn't be a distraction to them. She blinked when she felt Katara touch her cheek.

"It's time to get ready, Lan." Katara said with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Okay." Lan hopped out of Katara's lap and went over to Appa. She began digging through her bag and arming herself with a few daggers. They wouldn't do her any good, though. She was only putting them on so Aang and the others wouldn't get worried or suspicious.

Once everyone was ready, everyone boarded the boats. Lan kept a firm grip on Sokka's hand as they set sail. It wasn't long before they reached a sight that Lan had not seen since she had left the Fire Nation. "The Great Gates of Azulon." She whispered, eyeing the two giant dragon statues and the statue of Azulon nervously.

Katara looked curiously at the statues. "I don't see any gates."

Hakoda turned to his daughter. "Katara, you and the swamp benders whip up some fog for us."

"That's not going to work." Lan muttered as they drew closer and closer to the statues. Her statement was confirmed when an alarm went off moments later. Fire spewed from the mouths of the two dragons, the nets in their mouths rising up and catching on fire. The fire spread down both nets and ended at the end where Azulon's statue was holding in both his hands.

"Everyone below deck!" Hakoda ordered. "Let's hope your invention works, Sokka."

"Lan, it's going to be okay." Katara consoled. "You need to get on the sub, Sweetie."

"But…all that water…" Lan mumbled nervously. The thought of being completely underwater, surrounded by nothing but water, terrified Lan.

Katara hoisted Lan up. "You're getting heavy. You can stay with me the whole time, okay? I won't let you out of my sight."

Lan held tightly to Katara while they boarded the submarine. As soon as Katara had taken up her position on the sub, Lan plopped down right next to her. She held onto Katara's skirt as they began to fully submerge beneath the water. "Are we there yet?" She groaned out.

Eventually, the subs finally surfaced. It took a good deal of coaxing on Katara's part and Sokka finally taking her hand to convince Lan to go on top of the submarine once she found out they weren't actually on shore. "Aang!" Lan rushed over to the Avatar and hugged him tightly.

Aang gave her a quick hug back. "Are you ready, Lan?"

"Yes." Lan said with some reluctance. "Are you? Once we attack, the Fire Nation will know you're alive."

"I'm ready." Aang said firmly. The rest of the group came over and they all hugged.

Lan hugged all of them as tightly as she could. This would be the last time she'd get to hug any of them. She bit her lip to keep her tears at bay.

"All right, come with me, Lan." Toph took Lan's hand and dragged her away from the rest of the group. "What is going on with you? You better tell me right now. If you aren't prepared to fight then you need to stay here!"

Lan quickly shook her head. "I can't tell you right now. I promise I'll tell you after the eclipse."

"Fine. Just don't get distracted." Toph said firmly. "Come on. We need to get back in that horrible contraption. We'll be at land soon enough."

Lan gave a small smile and quickly followed Toph back into the submarine. She latched onto Sokka as soon as they were inside since Katara had to steer Appa. Lan silently prayed that Aang would be all right, as well as the rest of the group once they landed.

"Stay close to me, Lan." Sokka whispered.

Lan clung tightly to Sokka. There wasn't much she could do during the initial phase of the invasion. She listened quietly to the sounds outside. She looked up when Sokka gave her shoulders a squeeze.

"Ready?" Sokka asked.

Lan gave an affirmative nod. She followed after Sokka as he charged out of the sub. It took her a moment to gain her bearings in the chaos around her. They were on land now. Fire Nation soldiers were charging at them on their komodo rhinos. Lan quickly shot a multitude of fire balls at a group of soldiers that were heading straight towards her. She continued sending shot after shot of fire at the oncoming soldiers. As she fought, she tried to slowly but surely put some distance between her and the others.

"Come with me, Lan!" Sokka said suddenly. He grabbed Lan's hand and led her over to Appa. "Where were you going?"

"I guess I just wasn't paying attention." Lan muttered lamely. "Where's Hakoda? I thought he was going to lead."

"Dad got hurt." Sokka grit out. "I'm going to lead now." He looked down when he felt Lan's hand on his.

Lan gave him a bright smile. "You can do it, Sokka."

Sokka grinned. "Thanks, Lan." He looked down at his troops. "I want the tanks in a wedge formation! Benders, you're in the middle! We're taking that tower and heading for the palace! Charge!"

The invasion force began to quickly push the Fire Nation soldiers back. Lan beamed proudly at Sokka as they leapt from Appa's back and down to the ground. "I knew you'd be a great leader!"

Sokka's chest swelled proudly. "Thanks, Lan." He quickly led Lan over to one of the tanks where he began pouring over a map with one of the Earthbenders. He looked up and saw Katara helping Hakoda walk towards them. "Dad, you're okay!"

"Thanks to Katara." Hakoda answered as Toph ran over to join the group.

Lan squinted up thoughtfully at the sky. "Um…is that Aang?"

The rest of the group looked up in alarm. They all rushed over to Aang when he landed on the ground. "Please tell me the Fire Lord was a super wimp and you were able to defeat him without the eclipse."

"Nobody was there." Aang grit out, furious. "They must've known we were going to try something. The Fire Lord is long gone by now."

Sokka shook his head. "No. He wouldn't want to go too far. He's probably in a secret bunker somewhere where he'll be safe, but still be able to lead his army. I don't suppose you know of any secret bunkers." He directed the last part towards Lan.

"Uncle Ozai and I were never exactly close. I don't know much about the palace layout." Lan answered, saying the word 'uncle' mockingly.

Toph grinned. "Don't worry; if it's a secret bunker we need to find, I'm the girl to find it."

Sokka pulled a watch-like device out of his pocket. "The Mechanist gave this to me. We've got about ten minutes before the eclipse happens."

"We can still do this. We can still win the day." Aang said confidently, missing just how white Lan's face went when Sokka mentioned the time left. "Sokka, you and Toph come with me. We'll go back to the volcano and see if there's anything there."

"I want to go too!" Lan said abruptly. "Before the eclipse happens, I want to help as much as I can."

Aang hesitated for a moment. "All right. Let's go." He led them over to Appa and they all quickly hopped on. "Lan, are you going to be okay when the eclipse happens?"

Lan bit her lip. They were almost to the volcano now. "I really don't know what will happen. No matter what happens, you guys can't worry about me. Just focus on beating the Fire Lord, okay? Promise, Aang?"

Aang looked at Lan with worry. "I promise." He said reluctantly. They finally landed on the side of the volcano.

While Toph searched the ground, Sokka knelt in front of Lan. He gripped both her shoulders firmly. "Hey, everything's going to be okay. I won't let anything happen to you."

Lan had to choke back a sob. She'd been so close to telling them the truth, but she couldn't. She gave Sokka a shaky smile and hugged him tightly. "I love you so much, Sokka."

"Hey, now, there'll be plenty of time for mushy stuff after the eclipse." Sokka said, giving Lan a quick hug.

"I found the secret bunker!" Toph crowed triumphantly. She made a large hole in the ground and the group slipped through. They ran quickly through the tunnels with Toph leading the way. They sped through a room with active lave vents into a room filled with nothing but lava.

"Climb on!" Aang said, opening up his glider.

Sokka wrapped an arm around Lan and held onto the glider with his other. Lan held onto Sokka as tight as she could until they finally reached the other side. They ran down another long tunnel before coming across a huge metal door at the end. "I think we're going the right way."

Toph grinned and cracked her knuckles. "Let's find out." She easily kicked the doors down after a few moments.

"I'm so glad we added you to the group." Sokka said with a grin as they ran down yet another tunnel. "Just a few more minutes until the eclipse!"

Lan could barely breathe. The group ran quickly down the hallway, stopping long enough to threaten one of the War Minister's for information on the Fire Lord's whereabouts. They finally came to a stop in front of a large set of metal doors with the Fire Nation symbol on it.

"Only thirty seconds until the eclipse." Sokka said. "Ready, Aang?"

Aang nodded. "Yes." He knocked down the doors with a blast of air.

It wasn't the Fire Lord sitting on the large throne, but Azula. She smirked evilly at them. "Hello, everyone." She cooed when she saw how white Lan's face was. "Hello, darling little cousin. Shall we do a countdown to your last breath? Ten…nine…eight…"

"Lan?" Sokka caught Lan as she fell to the ground gasping for breath. "Lan, what's wrong?"

"What are you doing to her?" Aang shouted furiously.

Azula simply continued to smirk. "Two…one…"

* * *

Lan gasped and opened her eyes to find herself in the Spirit World. She sat up and found the woman sitting in front of her. "Why do I have to go with you?"

"You were supposed to die in your mother's womb." The woman said softly. She reached out and gently stroked Lan's cheek. "She prayed to me, begged me to save your life. I agreed to give you some of my energy, but only if your mother agreed that you would return to me on the eclipse. She agreed, but I'm sure she was going to try and find a way to stop me."

"Who are you?" Lan asked curiously.

"I am the Sun Spirit." The woman answered. "Just as Yue became the Moon Spirit when she returned her energy to the dead Moon Spirit, so too will you become a part of me." She held her hand out to Lan.

Lan hesitated. "I would like to return to the world of the living, please."

The Sun Spirit curled her hand back. "Why? Your mother made a deal with me. I want my energy back."

"I want to help the Avatar." Lan said. "I want to help my friends. I want to see my grandfather and Zuko again. Please, I don't want to die yet or become a spirit or whatever. I finally feel like I'm doing what's right and something that'll help the whole world. I want to live my life the way I want to!"

The Sun Spirit was silent for a moment. "You remind me of myself when I was just a young spirit. Yue has told me a great deal about you and your friends. Very well, Lan. I will wait."

"Thank you! Oh, I forgot to ask; what's your name?" Lan blurted out. The Spirit World around her was fading away.

The Sun Spirit smiled. "You can call me Ri."

* * *

Lan slowly opened her eyes and sat up. It took her a moment to realize she was no longer in the volcano, but on Appa's back. "What happened?"

Katara was the first to whip around at Lan's voice. She launched herself at the little girl and kissed her forehead, cheeks, and nose over and over. Tears were spilling down Katara's cheeks. "Lan! You were dead! You weren't breathing and you were so white!"

"You knew that was going to happen!" Toph shouted angrily, roughly punching Lan in the arm and causing the little girl to yelp.

"Toph, leave her alone right now!" Aang said.

Lan began bawling hysterically. She latched onto Sokka when he came over to her. "I'm so sorry! I was scared she wouldn't let me come back!"

"What are you talking about, Lan?" Sokka asked.

Lan told the group everything. She held onto Sokka the whole time, having to take breaks to try and calm herself down. When she finished her story, she noticed for the first time that it was only the children that were present. "Where's everyone else? What happened?"

"We had to leave." Sokka finally said when no one else spoke up. "The adults are all still on the beach. We didn't stop the Fire Lord."

"It's okay." Lan said, hugging Sokka tightly. "We'll win another day. We'll get everyone back."

Sokka nodded. He looked at the rest of the group and nodded to them. Lan yelped as Aang, Toph, Katara, and Sokka all smacked her on the head.

"Don't you ever keep a secret like that from us again!" Sokka said firmly. "Do you understand me?"

Lan nodded quickly, rubbing her head. "I won't. I promise. So, where are we going?"

"Somewhere we can regroup and rest." Aang answered. "We're heading to the Western Air Temple."


	36. Together Again

**erica. phoenix16: Sorry that you didn't care for how I handled it. Hopefully you'll enjoy the rest of the story more.  
Sakura02: I'm so excited that they're doing the comic version of them going to find Zuko's mom!**

**Thanks: ilovezim123, Lady Ishtar12123, ZabuzasGirl, Masked Bard of Chaos, AvatarCat12, Phoenix, MS-16 Z Jager,****nekuranekomegami, Guest, and dream lighting for your reviews!**

* * *

Lan dragged her feet along the dry ground. She walked slowly beside Aang, keeping her head down to avoid the bright sun hurting her eyes. She was completely exhausted and wanted nothing more than to curl up and go to sleep. "Are we there yet?" Lan asked Aang.

Aang gave Lan an apologetic smile. "Sorry. We'd get there sooner, but Appa gets tired carrying so many people. Are you doing okay? Have you spoken to Ri anymore?"

"I'm fine." Lan assured. "I talked to Ri last night. She's still planning to take me back, but she wants to see how the rest of this war plays out. She'll take me back after that. I haven't been able to convince her otherwise."

Aang took Lan's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "We'll think of something. You're not going anywhere, I promise."

Lan gave Aang a small smile. "Thanks, Aang."

"We're here!" Toph shouted excitedly. "This place is amazing!"

Lan rushed forward excitedly to stand beside Toph. She frowned and looked out over the open chasm. She tugged onto Toph's arm and tried to look down to the bottom of the chasm. "Are you sure, Toph? I don't see anything."

Aang grinned and let out a whoop of joy. "No, she's right. We're here!"

It took the group a few minutes to get down to the Western Air Temple. Lan looked around in complete awe at all the gorgeous air temple structures. She had never seen such a beautiful and peaceful looking place before. Lan immediately ran over to a fountain and splashed her face with the cool water. She looked up when she heard Katara calling her name. She ran over to where Katara, Toph, Aang, and Sokka were already sitting. "Yes?"

"We're coming up with a new plan to defeat the Fire Lord." Aang said grouchily. He'd clearly much rather be off playing with Teo, Haru, and The Duke than discussing plans.

"I think we should stick with our old plan." Sokka piped up. "Aang needs to master all four elements and then fight the Fire Lord before the comet strikes."

Aang snarled. "Oh, sure, that sounds perfect."

"No one said it was going to be easy, Aang." Katara said, trying to console the clearly upset boy.

Aang continued on his tirade. "Where am I going to find a firebending teacher? Lan can't teach me! She's still a novice herself!"

Lan sat quietly beside Sokka while the rest of the group mulled over who they could possibly get to be Aang's firebending teacher. She knew that if her grandfather was with them, he'd be able to teach Aang. He was the best firebender that Lan knew. She watched Aang abruptly stand up and fly away on his glider. "Aang's really upset…"

"He'll be okay." Sokka assured her. "We'll figure something out."

"I'm sorry I can't be any help." Lan said, deflating. "If I was older, I bet I could train Aang. I can do firebending, but I don't know how to explain how I do it."

"Don't worry about it, Lan." Sokka assured. He held his hand out to her to help her up onto Appa's saddle. "Come on. Let's go get Aang and talk."

The rest of the group climbed into the saddle while Sokka steered Appa after Aang. Katara cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted over the wind. "Aang, we need to talk!"

"What?" Aang shouted back, pretending as though he couldn't hear her.

"We need to figure out what to do, Aang!" Lan shouted as loud as she possibly could, causing Toph to cover her ears in alarm. "Please stop flying around and talk to us."

Aang finally landed, followed closely by Appa and the others. "Fine. First, I want to show you guys the giant Pai Sho table!"

Toph's face suddenly hardened. She glared over her shoulder. "That's going to have to wait, Aang. We've got company."

Lan turned around to see who it was, but Katara was suddenly standing protectively in front of her. She tried to look around the waterbender, but now the others were blocking her line of sight as well. She tugged impatiently on Katara's sleeve. "Who is it? What's going on?" Even though the rest of the group wouldn't let her see who it was, she knew as soon as the person spoke.

"Hi…Zuko here." Zuko said, an awkward smile on his face as the rest of the group glared hostilely at him. "I heard you guys flying around, so I thought I'd just wait for you here."

"Zuko!" Lan shoved past Katara. She would've run straight to Zuko, but Katara kept a firm grip on her shoulder. Tears were already pouring down her cheeks, her hands reaching out to him. "Zuko…"

"Don't forget what he did to you, Lan." Katara snapped. "He betrayed you. He left you to join with Azula."

Zuko lowered his arms that had been prepared to embrace Lan. He gave the little girl a nervous smile. He never really knew what to do when Lan cried like that. Her little face was so red and she was crying so much that he couldn't tell if she was trying to talk anymore. "Hey…Lan…I, um…I wanted to tell all of you that I've changed. I'm a good guy now. I think I should join your group. I can, you know…teach the Avatar how to firebend." Zuko finished lamely, clearly uncomfortable.

"You can't honestly think any of us would trust you." Katara snapped out. "You've done nothing but hunt us down and try to capture Aang!"

Lan twisted her hands nervously as Zuko and the rest of the group continued to argue. She wanted nothing more than to run over to Zuko and hug him. She'd wanted to see him for so long. Katara's grip on her remained firm, though. Lan was angry with Zuko. She was angry at him for betraying her and Iroh. She was angry at him for choosing to side with Azula and his father. Still, she wanted nothing more than to have her family back.

"There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done." Aang finally said. "You need to leave now."

"Zuko!" Lan managed to pull away from Katara's grasp. She got about halfway to Zuko when Katara's voice made her freeze.

"Lan, you go with him, and you can never come back with us." Katara said coldly. "Can't you see he's just trying to trick us?"

Zuko gave Lan a small smile when he saw the distressed look on her face. "It's okay, Lan. You stay here with them, okay?" He rushed off out of sight before Lan could say anything.

Lan spent the rest of the day moping around. No matter how much Aang and Sokka tried to cheer her up, she refused to speak to any of them. She was sitting there silently, listening to the others speak poorly about Zuko when she'd finally had enough. She glared angrily over at Katara. "Shut up, Katara! You don't know anything about Zuko! He has done bad things and made mistakes, but he's a good person! You have no idea what he's gone through!" Lan stormed off before anyone could say anything to her.

Lan didn't speak to anyone for the rest of the day. She refused to eat, and moved her pallet as far away from the group as she could. When she woke up the next morning, she found Sokka sitting next to her. She glared at him and turned away. "Go away. I'm going to go find Zuko."

"Come on, Lan." Sokka said, trying to placate the little girl. "Let's just think things through." He held his hand out to Lan. "Come eat, and we can talk about things."

Lan glared angrily up at Sokka. She shoved his hand away, but went to go sit where the others were eating. She sat as far away from Katara as she possibly could. She looked curiously around. "Where's Toph?"

"She stormed off last night after she got mad that we wouldn't consider Zuko for Aang's teacher." Sokka explained.

"At least someone here is smart." Lan grumbled, glaring over at Katara. They all looked over at the sound of rocks rolling around. Lan's eyes widened when she saw who it was that crawled out of the hole. "Toph!" She ran over and helped the girl to her feet. "What happened?"

"My feet got burned!" Toph howled.

"How?" Katara asked, coming over and bending some water onto Toph's feet. She concentrated on healing the burns.

Toph shifted nervously. "I sort of…kind of…went and saw Zuko last night."

"Zuko did this to you?" Lan asked in alarm. She'd never thought her cousin would do something so horrible and cruel. "Why would he attack you like that?"

Toph gave a nervous smile. "Well…he did attack me, but he didn't. I sort of snuck up on him and I think I startled him. I don't think he really meant to hurt me."

"But, he did firebend at you." Aang clarified. "Lan, you can't argue with the fact that he did hurt Toph."

Lan bit her lip and shifted nervously. "Yeah, but…she said it was an accident. If you guys would just talk to him…"

"No." Katara said firmly. She motioned for Sokka and Aang to help Toph over to the fountain to continue cooling off her feet. "He's too dangerous. We need to take care of him now."

Lan was going to continue arguing, but a loud explosion from above them. She crouched down and felt Sokka wrapping arms protectively around her. "What was that? Is it the Fire Nation?"

Sokka looked up and squinted against the bright light, pulling Toph out of the fountain with Aang's help. "No. It's Combustion Man! He's back to finish what he started!"

"Stop!" Zuko shouted furiously, standing a few feet away from Combustion Man. "I'm calling off the hit! I'll pay you double to stop chasing them!"

"Zuko!" Lan cried out in alarm, watching helplessly as Zuko began fighting with assassin. She screamed when Zuko went over the edge of the ledge he'd been fighting on. "Zuko!"

"Lan, get over here!" Katara scooped Lan up and ran over behind a pillar where the others were. They'd barely taken cover when Combustion Man began firing at them. "I can't go out in the open to waterbend, and he's not at an angle where I can reach him from here."

"I know how to get an angle on him." Sokka said, pulling out his boomerang.

Aang knelt down in front of Lan and tried to calm down the sobbing little girl. "Hey, Lan, it's going to be okay. You've got to stop crying right now. We need to deal with this guy."

Lan choked back a sob, and nodded her head. She peered around the pillar in time to see Sokka's boomerang hit Combustion Man right in his forehead. "You did it, Sokka!"

Sokka beamed proudly. He caught his boomerang as soon as it came back around. "All right, boomerang!" They're brief celebration was cut short as Combustion Man stood up and took a deep breath, ready to attack them once again. "Aw, boomerang!"

Lan grabbed Sokka's hand and the group ran back behind the pillar. The group barely managed to get behind the safety of the pillar before the loud sound of explosions reverberated around the entire Western Air Temple. Lan held on tightly to Sokka until the noise finally died down. Cautiously, they all peered around the pillar in time to see Combustion Man falling into the deep chasm. Lan looked up where Combustion Man had been standing, and let out a cry of joy. "Zuko!"

Zuko managed to pull himself up on the vine he'd been clinging to and onto the ledge. He waved hesitantly down at the group before slowly making his way down to them. As soon as he was on the ground with them, he was knocked down by Lan. He smiled and hugged his little cousin tightly. "I'm so sorry, Lan. I shouldn't have ever abandoned you like that." He looked nervously over at the rest of the group.

Aang hesitantly took a step forward. "I can't believe I'm saying this…thank you, Zuko."

"Listen," Zuko stood up, keeping Lan at his side. "I know I didn't explain myself very well yesterday. I've been through a lot these past few years, and it's been hard. I thought I had lost my honor, and that my father could return it to me. I know now that no one can give you your honor. All I want now is to play my part in ending this war, and help you restore balance to this world." He bowed to Toph. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. It was an accident. Fire is wild and dangerous. As a firebender, I need to be more careful and control my bending so I don't hurt others unintentionally."

Aang was silent for a moment. "I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher. When I first tried to firebend, I burned Katara. I never wanted to firebend after that. Now I know that you understand how easy it is to hurt the ones you love." Aang bowed to Zuko. "I'd like for you to teach me."

Lan's eyes lit up. She hugged Zuko and jumped up and down. "Zuko, we get to be together again!"

"Not so fast, Lan." Aang said. "I know what your vote is, but I want the whole group to be okay with this. Toph, what do you think?"

Toph thought for a minute before grinning wickedly. "Let him join. It'll give me plenty of time to pummel him."

"All I want to do is defeat the Fire Lord." Sokka answered when Aang looked at him. "If you think this is the right way, then it's fine by me."

Katara's frown deepened. She glared suspiciously over at Zuko. "I'll do whatever you think is right, Aang."

Lan squealed and squeezed Zuko tighter. She began sniffling and sobbing all over again. "Zuko!"

Zuko rolled his eyes and picked Lan up. "Seriously?" He wiped Lan's tears away with his sleeve. "You're too old to be crying like this."

"So…um…I guess we can show you to your room now." Sokka said, picking up Toph. He led the way towards the living quarters with Zuko following behind him, still carrying Lan. Katara and Aang brought up the rear.

Aang couldn't help grinning at the happy look on Lan's face as she hugged her cousin and rested her head on his shoulder. He hadn't seen Lan look that happy in a long time. "I'm glad Lan's really smiling again."

Katara let out a small grunt as her answer. She didn't like the whole situation one bit. As soon as Sokka had shown Zuko to his room, Katara stepped in. She gave Lan a bright smile. "Lan, I'd like to talk to Zuko privately for a moment."

Zuko gave Lan a reassuring smile. He put her down on the ground and kissed her forehead. "Go on. I'll come find you in a little bit."

Lan looked at him with wide eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed both his cheeks. "You promise? You're not going to leave me again? You're not going to pretend to be dead or anything?"

"I promise." Zuko said, giving Lan a smile. "I'm not leaving you again, Lan."

Reluctantly, Lan let go of Zuko and ran out of the room. She didn't go very far. She stood behind one of the pillars and listened to Katara threaten Zuko. Lan clenched her fist angrily at her side. As soon as Katara stepped outside, Lan stepped into her line of view. "Don't you dare hurt Zuko, Katara. If you hurt my cousin, I will never forgive you." Lan ran around Katara and straight back into Zuko's room.

"Lan!" Zuko yelped out when he was tackled to the ground. "Hey, what's wrong?" He sighed when he saw the upset look on Lan's face. "You heard? Hey, don't worry about it. They have every right to be distrusting of me. I've hurt them a lot in the past. Everything is going to be okay now, though. Don't get upset."

Lan sniffled and buried her face in Zuko's shirt. "Zuko, I need to tell you something." She quickly told him about the Sun Spirit and everything that had happened.

Zuko was quiet until she finished. He hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry you've had to deal with all this alone, Lan. I promise, I won't leave you alone ever again."


	37. Dragons

**erica. phoenix16: Hmmm…we'll just have to wait and see about Lan's fate ;). The comic was announced a couple months back. It'll come out in March 2013  
Sakura02: What's your question?  
XxNaturalNanaxX: Aw, thank you! I'm happy that I was able to inspire you **

**Thank you: FrostOfFate, Masked Bard of Chaos, Moonlitdaze, Melody Sparrow, rebecca1516, AvatarCat12, Phoenix, MS-16 Z Jager, Queen of Narnia49, imperial queen, dream lighting, and Authoresses of the Red Rose for reviewing!**

* * *

"Zuko are you still mad at me?" Lan asked, sitting off to the side and watching Zuko attempt to train Aang in the art of firebending. She received an angry glare from her cousin as an answer. "I said I was sorry! I won't keep anymore secrets from you! I promise!"

Zuko sighed and looked back over at his little cousin. While Lan had told him about the Sun Spirit, she had failed to mention the part about the Sun Spirit wanting to take her away. He had found out about Lan's near death experience from Sokka. To say that he had been upset was an understatement. "I'm not mad at you. I'm just…upset with the situation."

Lan didn't say anything else. She sat back and watched Zuko attempt, and fail, to get even a spark of fire from Aang. When she saw the irritated look on Zuko's face, Lan decided it was best to intervene. "Maybe you should give Aang a demonstration? You know, like how I learn better seeing something than being told."

"Good idea!" Aang chimed in helpfully. He looked expectantly over at Zuko as the Fire Prince dropped into a firebending stance. When all that came out was a small, weak flame, Aang tried to remain positive. "That was…nice…"

"That's the worst firebending I've ever seen!" Zuko exclaimed angrily. He tried again and again, only to have the same result. "What's going on?"

"Maybe it's the altitude?" Aang offered. He glared over at Lan whom was happily practicing her fire kicks with ease.

Lan quickly stopped. "Yeah! It's probably the altitude! Don't worry, Zuko. I'm sure it'll be fine."

"I guess…" Zuko said unsurely. He let Aang led him to a spot that was at a lower altitude. He tried again with the same results.

"That one actually felt kind of hot." Lan said, rocking back and forth on her heels.

Zuko snarled, lashing out angrily. "Don't patronize me! You know what it's supposed to look like!"

Aang decided to intervene when he saw Lan's lower lip quivering angrily. He'd only seen the little girl mad a couple of times, and it was not something he wished to experience again. "Let's all just calm down, Sifu Hotman."

"Stop calling me that!" Zuko growled. He looked up warily when Sokka walked over eating an apple.

Sokka swallowed the bit of apple he had in his mouth, and grinned. "Hey _jerks._ Mind if I watch you three _jerks _do your _jerk _bending?"

"Get out of here!" Zuko snapped.

"Okay, no need to get so cranky." Sokka said, walking away and chuckling. "Jerk bending…I've still got it." He let out a yelp as his pants were suddenly on fire. "Lan! I thought we were cool."

Lan stuck her tongue out at Sokka. "Don't call me a jerk, and I won't set your pants on fire."

Sokka walked off, sulking and mumbling under his breath.

Later that night, everyone was sitting around the fire and eating. Lan sipped at the soup in her bowl, occasionally looking over at Zuko who was standing a ways off, lost in thought. "Zuko, you should come eat."

Zuko sighed and walked over. "I've got some bad news. I've lost my firebending." He glared when Katara laughed manically.

Katara stopped laughing after a moment. "Sorry." Though, she didn't really sound sorry at all. "It's just so ironic. It would've been better for us if you'd lost your firebending a long time ago." She went to take a sip of her soup and yelped as her tongue was burned by the hot contents. She looked incredulously over at Lan who simply whistled innocently.

"It's not even really lost; it's just weaker." Zuko clarified.

Lan got up and hugged her cousin. "Maybe it's because you aren't so angry anymore. You're firebending was always really strong when you were mad."

Aang nodded in agreement, despite Katara scoffing in protest. "Maybe you just don't have enough anger now to fuel you the way you used to."

Sokka stood up excitedly. "So, we just need to make him mad! That's easy!" He proceeded to poke Zuko in the side and head with the hilt of his sword.

Lan glared over at Sokka. "Stop it! Don't make him cranky!"

"That's enough!" Zuko bellowed, causing Sokka to drop his sword. He rubbed his forehead irritably. "Look, even if that is true, I don't want to rely on anger and hatred anymore. I've hurt too many people doing that. There has to be another way." He rubbed Lan's hair and gave the little girl a small smile.

Toph hummed thoughtfully. "You're going to need to learn how to draw your firebending from a different source. I'd say, the original source."

Sokka scoffed, having recovered and plopping himself back down by the fire. "So, he needs to jump in a volcano?"

"No. He needs to go back to whatever the original source of firebending was. Like, for earthbending, it's the badgermoles." Toph answered.

Sokka nodded thoughtfully. "So, is it a volcano?"

Lan rolled her eyes. "No, Sokka. The original firebenders were all dragons. They're all extinct now."

Aang tilted his head to the side curiously. "What are you talking about? Roku had a dragon, and there were tons around when I was a kid."

Zuko snarled. "Well, they aren't around anymore! Just forget about it!"

Lan shrugged her shoulders at the confused look Aang gave her. She thought for a moment before clapping her hands together excitedly. "There could be another way. Grandpa told me that the first people to learn how to firebend from the dragons were the ancient Sun Warriors." She grinned when even Aang looked confused. For once, she knew something the others didn't. "They died off thousands of years ago, but I think their civilization isn't too far from here. Maybe if we went to the ruins, we could learn something."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "What's this 'we' stuff? Aang and I will go. You stay here."

"I'm going." Lan said, stomping her foot for emphasis. "Why should you get to learn super cool firebending moves while I stay here and listen to Sokka's stupid jokes, and Katara complaining about you?"

Aang chuckled. Lan was more like Zuko than either cousin cared to admit. "It couldn't hurt. The monks used to tell me that sometimes the shadows of the past can be felt in the present."

Zuko sighed when Lan started giving him the puppy eyes. He hated the puppy eyes. "Fine."

xXx

"Doesn't this thing go any faster?" Zuko asked impatiently, glaring irritably over the side of Appa's saddle. "We've been flying for hours."

"No negativity." Lan said, giggling at the half-hearted glare Zuko sent her way. She leaned against his side and snuggled against him. "Don't worry; you'll get used to all of this."

Aang smiled over at the two, happy to see Lan so content for once. He turned forward and let out a small gasp. "Hey, I think we're here!"

Lan peered over the edge of the saddle with Zuko. "Wow." She whispered out, staring at the ruins in awe. The ruins were almost completely covered by forest, and the ruins themselves blended in with the mountains and rocks of the island.

The trio climbed out of Appa's saddle once they'd landed. Zuko kept a firm grip on Lan's hand as they began exploring the ruins. Zuko looked thoughtfully at the ruined buildings that at one time must have stood very tall and proud. "This is the first time I've ever been here, but it's like I've seen these buildings before. I think the Fire Sages' temple is modeled after these ruins."

Aang smiled positively. "Great! We learned something about architecture. Hopefully, we'll learn something about firebending as well." He began walking forward when he suddenly tripped over something. The ground before him opened up, revealing row upon row of sharp black spikes. Aang barely had time to breathe out a gust of air and safely to the other side. He sat on the ground for a moment, shaking. "Zuko, Lan…I think the past is trying to kill me."

Zuko knelt down, looking curiously at the wire that Aang had tripped over. "This booby trap must be centuries old, yet it still works."

Lan looked nervously around. "Maybe that means we shouldn't be here. There's probably more traps."

Zuko ruffled her hair. "What happened to no negativity?" He took a few steps back before running along the wall to avoid the trap. He landed gracefully next to Aang, as though what he'd just done was the easiest thing in the world. He looked back over at his clearly nervous cousin. "Besides, nobody sets up traps like that unless they have something worth protecting. Come on, Lan."

Lan hopped from foot to foot nervously. "I can't run on the wall!"

"Jump across, Lan." Aang encouraged. He smiled reassuringly when Lan looked at him as though he were crazy. "Trust me."

Lan hesitated for a second more, before doing what Aang had told her. She took a running jump towards the trap. Instead of feeling spikes digging into her flesh, she felt air pushing her up and over the trap. She landed in between Aang and Zuko. She took a deep breath. "I am never doing that again!"

The trio walked through the ruins, careful to avoid any more booby traps. They eventually reached a temple with stairs that seemed to go up forever. Lan groaned in annoyance, but followed quickly after Zuko and Aang. When they finally reached the top, they were greeted by a rather intimidating looking painting. "Grandpa said that dragons and firebenders liked each other."

Zuko looked dubiously at the painting, taking Lan's hand back in his. The painting depicted two dragons circling a man, breathing fire all around him. "They sure had a funny way of showing it."

Aang frowned when Zuko began walking away. "Something happened to the dragons, Zuko. Something you aren't telling me, and something Lan doesn't seem to know either."

Zuko looked down at Lan's curious face and sighed. "My great-grandfather Sozin happened." The group began walking again, while Zuko explained everything. "He started the tradition of hunting dragons for glory. They are the ultimate firebenders, so if you're able to defeat one, your firebending talents would become legendary. You would earn the honorary title of 'Dragon'. The last dragon was conquered before I was born by my uncle."

Lan's eyes widened in shock. "Grandpa killed the last dragon?! Grandpa would never do something that…that mean!"

"He had a complicated past." Zuko defended. "Family tradition…let's just move on."

They came to a stop in front of two large golden doors. Lan looked first at the doors, and then at a large column a short distance away with a red jewel in the center of it. She watched Zuko and Aang pushed futilely against the door. "I think it's locked."

Zuko sighed irritably. He looked over his shoulder to say something to Lan, when he noticed the column with the jewel on it. He moved to the side so that the light from the jewel landed on a circular pattern in the ground. "This is a celestial calendar. I bet that Sun Stone opens the door, but only if it's hit at the right angle."

"How do we do that?" Lan asked curiously, walking over to stand by her cousin.

Aang groaned in frustration. "We don't. It'll only open on the solstice. We can't wait that long!"

"No, we can't." Zuko agreed, pulling his sword out. "Maybe we can trick the Sun Stone…" He held his sword up, slowly moving it around so that the light from the Sun Stone began slowly crawling up the door.

Lan hopped anxiously from foot to foot. At first, nothing happened when the light hit the top of the door. Slowly, the doors slid open, and Lan let out a cheer. She hugged Zuko around the waist. "That was awesome, Zuko!"

Aang grinned at Zuko. "You're pretty smart."

Zuko gave both Aang and Lan a small smile. He walked into the dark room with Lan still attached to his waist. When Aang let out a startled yelp, Zuko looked over to see if there was another trap. He sighed when he saw what it was that had scared the Avatar. "Calm down. They're just statues."

Lan studied all the statues closely. She could see why they had scared Aang. All of their faces had been carved with deep scowls and angry eyes. The statues were all doing various poses, and were set up in a half circle around the room. She looked over when she heard Aang running over to Zuko.

"Zuko, I want you to dance with me!" Aang declared, grabbing Zuko's arm and attempting to pull him away.

"What?" Zuko yelped, yanking his arm out of Aang's grip.

"I've got to see this." Lan said, watching Aang yank Zuko over to one side of the half circle. She stood at the front of the half circle and watched the two boys begin mimicking the poses of the statues. She couldn't help giggling at the clearly embarrassed look on Zuko's face. "What's that?" She asked in surprise when a pedestal rose from the ground once Zuko and Aang had finished dancing.

"Lan, don't touch that." Aang said worriedly.

Lan ignored Aang and picked up the golden egg on top of the pedestal. "Zuko, this feels almost alive!"

"Put it back, Lan." Zuko snapped, rushing over and taking the golden egg from her. Just as he attempted to put the egg back, a blast of green goo shot up from below.

Lan yelped as her back roughly slammed into the grate in the ceiling. She struggled against the goo. "I'm stuck! Zuko, help me!"

"I would if I wasn't stuck next to you!" Zuko said, glaring accusingly at the golden egg now stuck to his hand.

"Hang on guys!" Aang shouted, running over to pick up his staff. He had to jump on to the head of one of the statues to avoid the rapidly rising goo. Aang shot up a blast of wind in an attempt to unstick Lan and Zuko from the grate. All he managed to do was move them so that their fronts were now stuck to the top instead of their backs. He had to jump up to the grating in order to avoid being engulfed by the goo. He latched onto the metal bars and pulled on them in vain. "Zuko, help! I'm stuck!"

"What can I do?" Zuko snapped. "I'm stuck too!"

"At least we can breathe, and the goo isn't rising anymore." Lan offered, squinting her eyes against the bright sunlight.

"Maybe if we just stay calm, we'll figure something out." Zuko said helpfully.

xXx

"You just had to pick up the egg, Lan." Aang sighed out in annoyance. Night had fallen and the trio was no closer to finding a solution to their predicament than they had been a few hours ago.

"Hey, at least she did something!" Zuko said, jumping to the defense of his little cousin. "If it were up to you, we'd have never made it pass the courtyard."

"Guys, we really shouldn't be fighting right now." Lan pouted. "Especially since I'm stuck between the two of you." She blinked when a foot stepped into her vision. She looked up at the rather imposing man standing over them. "Hi."

"Who are you?" The man snapped, glaring down at the trio.

xXx

Lan couldn't help giggling as a strange creature she'd never seen before licked the goo off her face. She was certainly feeling more relaxed than Aang or Zuko did.

"For trying to take our Sun Stone, you three must be severely punished!" The Sun Warrior Chief declared.

Zuko yanked Lan closer to him, not wanting her anywhere near the Sun Warriors in case they attacked. "We didn't come here to steal your Sun Stone! We just came to learn the origins of firebending!"

"Yeah, right!" scoffed one of the Sun Warriors. He clutched the Sun Stone close to him protectively, much like how Zuko was holding Lan. "They are obviously thieves."

"Look, I don't normally play this card, but I'm the Avatar." Aang spoke up, grinning nervously at the Sun Warriors. "Please, just hear us out."

When the Sun Warrior Chief nodded, Zuko stood up. "I'm Zuko, Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. At least…I was…I know my people have distorted the ways of firebending to be fueled by rage and anger. I want to learn the true way…the original way. When we came here, I never imagined we'd find the Sun Warriors civilization secretly thriving. I am truly humbled to be in your presence." He bowed low to the Sun Warriors. He kicked Lan in the leg when she didn't bow right away.

The Sun Warrior Chief was silent for a moment. "If you wish to learn the ways of the sun, you must learn from the masters Ran and Shao. They will examine you when you present yourselves to them. They'll read your hearts, souls, and your ancestry. If they deem you worthy, they'll teach you. If not, they'll destroy you on the spot."

Lan gulped nervously. "Maybe I'll just wait for you two…" She yelped as Zuko twisted her ear.

"You're not getting out of this." Zuko hissed.

xXx

The next day, Zuko, Aang, and Lan all stood in front of giant fire with the Sun Warrior Chief. Lan yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She hadn't gotten much sleep. She kept dreaming about giant firebenders incinerating her into nothingness.

The Sun Warrior Chief appraised the trio. "If you are going to see the masters, you must present them a piece of the eternal flame. This fire," He gestured to the large fire roaring behind him. "is the first fire. It was given to Man by the dragons, and we have kept it alive for thousands of years. You will all take a piece to the masters to show your commitment to the sacred art of firebending."

"Um, I'm not a firebender yet." Aang said nervously. "Could one of my friends carry it for me?"

"No." The Sun Warrior Chief said sternly. He pulled some of the fire towards him and looked at the three seriously. "You must maintain a constant heat. The flame will go out if you make it too small. Make it too big, and you will lose control." He handed Zuko a piece of the flame first, then Lan, and finally, Aang.

Aang blinked in surprise when he received his flame. "It's like a little heartbeat." He whispered in awe.

"Fire is life, not just destruction." Lan said, cradling the flame close to her heart. She missed the approving nod the Chief gave her. "That's what Grandpa always told me."

"You will take your flames up there." The Sun Warrior Chief said, pointing to a nearby mountain. "The cave of the masters is beneath that rock."

The trio began their trek towards the mountain. Lan skipped ahead of the two easily, smiling brightly down at the flame in her hand. She looked over her shoulder to see Zuko was close behind, but that Aang was lagging. "Come on, Aang. You can do it!"

"I can't go any faster!" Aang protested. "My flame will go out if I do."

"It's because you're too timid." Zuko argued, catching up to Lan. "Give your flame more juice."

"What if I lose control?" Aang asked worriedly.

"You can do it." Zuko said confidently. "You're a talented kid."

"How'd they beat us here?" Lan huffed out once they finally reached their destination.

The Sun Warriors were already there. They were in a circle, alternating between standing and sitting. The Sun Warrior Chief stepped towards the trio. "Facing the judgment of the masters will be dangerous for you. Both of your ancestors," he pointed at both Lan and Zuko. "are directly responsible for the dragons disappearance. They may not be so happy to see the two of you. As for you, Avatar, your vanishing allowed the Fire Nation to wreak havoc on the world. The decline of dragons is your burden too." He stepped back to allow the three to make their way up the stairs towards the platform connecting the two sides of the mountain together.

"We could turn back now." Aang whispered as the Sun Warriors began bending fire. "We've already learned more than we ever hoped to."

"No." Zuko said firmly. "We are seeing this through to the end. You ready, Lan?" He sighed when he saw how nervous the little girl was. He moved the flame into just one hand and reached out to put his hand on Lan's cheek. "Hey, I won't let anything happen to you."

Lan gave Zuko a small smile. "Okay…let's do this." Her smile wavered as the Sun Warriors began chanting. She walked in step with Zuko and Aang up the stairs. When they finally reached the top, she went to stand beside Zuko, their backs to Aang.

"Present your flames!" The Sun Warrior Chief shouted.

Lan lowered her head and held her flame out towards the cave opening. She didn't glance up when Aang whispered something nervously. She really hoped the masters wouldn't try and kill them. It took her a few moments to realize that Aang and Zuko were fighting. "What are you two doing? Aang, where's your flame?"

"I lost mine and Zuko won't give me any of his!" Aang shouted, trying to steal some of the fire from Zuko. Both boys froze when Zuko dropped his hands and lost his flame.

Lan put her hands on her hips. "Now look what you two have done…" It took her a moment to realize her flame was now gone as well. A loud rumbling came from both of the caves. Lan scooted closer to Zuko and held onto his arm. "Zuko…"

A red dragon shot of the cave that Lan and Zuko had been facing, while a blue dragon came out from the other. Lan gasped in awe as the two dragons began flying around them. She'd only ever seen dragons in paintings. They were so much more beautiful in real life. "They're amazing…"

"Hey, I think they want us to do the Dragon Dance." Aang said when nothing happened.

"You two have fun with that." Lan said.

"Oh no." Zuko protested. "You're doing it too. Just stand behind me and follow my lead."

Lan reluctantly did as she was told. She was surprised to find she didn't feel at all silly dancing. It took her a moment to realize the dragons were mimicking their movements. Once they finished the dance, Lan found herself standing between Zuko and Aang. She held onto Zuko's hand and looked at the dragons as they landed on the bridges. The red one stared down Zuko and Lan, while the blue one stared at Aang. Lan yelped and ducked behind Zuko as the dragons breathed fire directly at them.

"Lan…look…" Zuko whispered, pulling Lan so she was standing in front of him. He wrapped his arms loosely around her shoulders.

Slowly, Lan opened her eyes. She gasped at the beautiful rainbow flames creating a column around the three of them. Tears welled up in her eyes. She held on to Zuko's arms and sniffled. She knew she'd never see anything more beautiful or amazing for the rest of her life.

Once the dragons had retreated back into their caves, Zuko, Aang, and Lan began their descent down the stairs. "I saw so many colors…colors I've never even imagined."

"It was like firebending harmony." Aang said softly. He looked over at Lan who hadn't spoken at all.

The Sun Warrior Chief nodded approvingly. "They judged you, and gave you visions of the meaning of firebending."

"I can't believe there are living dragons." Zuko said in awe. "My Uncle Iroh said he faced the last dragon and killed it."

"So, Grandpa lied." Lan finally spoke up, returning to her usual self.

The Sun Warrior Chief chuckled. "It was not a total lie. Iroh was the last outsider to face the masters. They deemed him worthy, and passed the secret of firebending on to him."

"All this time, I've thought firebending was destruction." Aang said quietly. "I know what it really is now. It's energy and life."

Lan nodded excitedly. "It's like the sun, but it's inside you! Did you know that?" She asked the Chief.

"Well, we are called the Sun Warriors." The Sun Warrior Chief said with a smile.

"That's why my firebending was so weak before." Zuko muttered. "All these years, my drive had been to capture the Avatar. When I lost that, I lost sight of my inner fire. Now, I have a new drive. I have to help you defeat my father and restore balance to the world."

Lan cheered when Zuko shot two giant flames up into the air. She and Aang quickly followed Zuko's example, sending their own flames up into the air.

The Sun Warrior Chief's suddenly turned into a scowl. "Now that you know our secrets, and know that our tribe exists, we have no choice but to imprison you here forever!" He couldn't help laughing at the horrified looks on the trios faces. "Just kidding. Seriously though, don't tell anyone!"

xXx

"With this technique the dragons taught us, we're unstoppable." Aang said as he and Zuko finished the Dragon Dance.

"Why didn't you dance, Lan?" Sokka asked, poking the girl in the head.

"It's way too embarrassing." Lan muttered, scooting away from Sokka.

"Now we can tap dance our way to victory against the Fire Lord!" Sokka cheered sarcastically.

"It's a sacred form of firebending that's over a thousand years old!" Zuko protested, glaring over at Sokka.

"Oh yeah?" Sokka laughed. "What's it called?"

"The Dancing Dragon." Lan answered, grinning at the frustrated huff Zuko let out.


	38. Keeping A Secret

**AvatarCat12: Thank you, I did. I hope you had a Happy Holiday season as well.  
Sakura02: I know! I love how special Zuko is!  
Authoresses of the Red Rose: Aw, I'm glad you enjoy my stories so much! I'm sorry I've been slow on the updates. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.  
The Layman: Thank you! Sorry the updates are so sporadic. School keeps interfering with my writing :( **

**Thanks: ZabuzasGirl, dream lighting, erica. phoenix16, Phoenix, and Melody Sparrow for reviewing!**

* * *

Lan sipped happily at her tea. Zuko was busy serving everyone tea that he had just made. "This is pretty good, Zuko. Not as good as Grandpa's, but not as bad as that one time you made tea."

Zuko gave Lan a small smile in response. He finished serving everyone tea. He stopped briefly to talk to Sokka about something in a hushed and quiet voice. Lan strained to hear what the two were talking about, but she couldn't make out what was being said. When she started walking towards them, Sokka immediately stopped talking.

That night, Zuko tucked Lan into her bed. He smoothed her hair down and didn't say anything for a few minutes. "Hey, Lan, can you sing for me?"

"What do you want me to sing?" Lan asked curiously. She reached out and hugged Zuko's hand to her.

Zuko shrugged. "I don't know. Anything. Whatever you want. It's just been a really long time since I got to hear you sing. Aang told me about the dance party, and how you sang there."

Lan was quiet for a minute. She racked her brain for a song that might be good. Finally, she began singing a song she remembered from long ago. It was a lullaby that Ursa had always sung to her, Zuko, and Azula when they were younger. She sang as quietly as she remembered Ursa always singing.

Zuko wasn't sure when he'd done it, but he found himself resting beside Lan on the bed. He could feel his eyes getting heavy. The call of sleep was so tempting, but he knew Sokka was up to something. He had to stop Sokka from doing something stupid.

"I'm glad you're here now, Zuko." Lan said once she'd finished the song. "I missed you when we were separated."

"I missed you too, even if you are the biggest brat in all the four nations." Zuko teased, earning him a glare in response.

"Can you stay with me tonight?" Lan continued holding onto Zuko's arm. She looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes. "Sometimes, I have nightmares about Ri. I dream that she changes her mind, and she takes me away. I never get to see you, Grandpa, Sokka, or any of the others again. I don't like it."

Zuko allowed Lan to curl up closer to him. "I'll stay with you for a while."

Lan awoke a few hours later. It was still dark outside, and Zuko was nowhere in sight. Lan stumbled out of her bed and down the long hallway to Zuko's room. Sleepily, she poked her head into Zuko's room. She couldn't see very well due to the darkness. After a few moments, her eyes adjusted to the darkness. "Zuko?" His bed was empty and neatly made.

Lan wasn't sure where else he could have gone. She was about to simply go back to her room and go to sleep, when she heard the sound of voices coming from the group's main eating area. Lan quietly crept towards the voices. She was surprised to see the two people talking. "Zuko, Sokka, what are you two doing?"

Zuko jumped slightly. He hadn't heard the little girl approaching them. He whipped around to face his half-asleep cousin. Her hair was completely askew and she kept rubbing at her eyes. "Lan, what are you doing up? Go back to bed."

"What are you two doing?" Lan repeated, ignoring Zuko.

Sokka knelt down and fixed Lan's hair. "Zuko and I are just going to go…on a supply run."

Lan furrowed her eyebrows. She felt much more awake than she had a moment before. "A supply run? In the middle of the night? I'm little, not stupid."

Sokka and Zuko exchanged a brief look. Zuko finally shrugged, and Sokka sighed. Sokka turned back to Lan, his face completely serious. "Remember my dad?" When Lan nodded, Sokka continued. "Well, he got captured because I messed up. Zuko and I are going to go get him."

"Do you know where he is?" Lan asked nervously. She began swaying back and forth, racking her brain for any prisons they could possibly take Sokka's father to. She could only think of one, and it made her stomach twist into knots.

"I think he may have been taken to Boiling Rock." Zuko said slowly.

"You two can't go there!" Lan protested, her voice rising. "If they catch you, you two will be…" She began sniffling, thinking of all the horrible things that she'd heard went on at Boiling Rock. "I'm going to tell Aang and the others."

Sokka grabbed Lan's arm and pulled her back before she could run off. He turned the upset girl around to look at him. "Lan, listen to me. It's my fault my dad got captured. I have to make it right. Please don't say anything to Aang and the others."

"But…but…" Lan began twisting her hair with her free hand. She looked between Sokka and Zuko. "Let me go with you then!"

"No." Zuko said firmly. "It was one thing to take you on the trip with Aang, but this is too dangerous. We won't be able to hide you there. Besides, I'd be more focused on protecting you, and it would be a distraction for both Sokka and me. Please, Lan, just stay here."

Lan pulled her arm from Sokka's grasp. She latched onto the front of Zuko's shirt and looked up at him with watery eyes. "I just got you back…I don't want to lose you again."

"Hey, we'll be back in a few days." Zuko assured. He stroked her hair and tried his best to give her a reassuring smile. "I've got an important job for you to do here."

"What?" Lan asked quietly. Her grip on Zuko's shirt remained strong.

"I need you to oversee Aang's training while I'm gone. Make sure he doesn't slack off. Do you think you can do that?" Zuko cracked a small smile when Lan finally gave a reluctant nod. "Come on. I'll tuck you back into bed."

Lan finally let go of Zuko long enough to throw her arms around Sokka's neck. "Be careful, okay? You both have to come back."

Sokka hugged Lan back. "We will." He let her go and watched Zuko walk her back down the hallway.

Zuko tucked Lan back into her bed. "Try and get some more sleep, okay? I promise you, we'll be back before you know it. Just don't tell the others."

"I won't." Lan promised. She reached up and wrapped her arms around Zuko's neck. She kissed both his cheeks before settling back into her bed. "Promise you and Sokka will come back soon?"

"I promise." Zuko gave Lan a quick kiss on the forehead before walking out of her room.

Lan stared out her open window for a while. She wasn't sure when she finally drifted back off to sleep, but it was a light and fitful one. She crawled out of bed just as the sun was peeking in through her window. She walked out into the main area where she'd confronted Zuko and Sokka.

Katara glanced up from reading a note. "Oh, Lan. Did you know Sokka and Zuko were going on a supply run?"

Lan yawned and nodded sleepily. "Yeah. They'll be back in a couple days."

"Oh…okay…" Katara said uncertainly. She glanced back down at the note. "Aang, Zuko wants you to do twenty sets of fire fists and ten hot squats every time you hear a badger frog croak."

"Nobody else has homework." Aang grouched out just as a badger frog croaked. He groaned and began doing his sets.

Lan gave Aang a small smile. "Don't worry. I'll help you with your training, Aang."

Aang grinned over at Lan. "Thanks, Lan."

Lan looked out over the edge of the Western Air Temple. Zuko and Sokka were probably at Boiling Rock by now. She twisted her hands nervously in her shirt. She hoped they were all right, and that they'd both come back soon.


	39. Waiting

**Saint River 2.0: I was originally going to have Lan go with them. I'd even started writing the chapter with that in mind, but I kept trying to force it to have her go with them. When I thought about it, there was just no logical way that she'd be able to go to the prison with them and be of any use.  
The Layman: Cause havoc like she always does :)  
Sakura02: Lol, you know Zuko just wanted a break from her**

**Thanks: AvatarCat13, erica. phoenix16, ilovezim123, ZabuzasGirl, MS-16 Z Jager, and RandomReader for reviewing.**

* * *

"That's not right, Aang!" Lan huffed and hopped off of her perch on a nearby rock. She walked over to Aang, and pushed his fist up higher in the air. She nudged his ankles so that his feet were wider apart. "Okay, try again."

Aang did as he was instructed. He grinned triumphantly as the flames came out bigger and brighter than before. He turned to Lan. "Thanks, Lan. You know, you're a pretty good teacher."

"I learned from Grandpa." Lan said, her voice lowering as she thought of her grandfather. She wondered where he was now, and whether he was all right or not. Zuko had told her he'd gone to the jail where Iroh had been held, but the cell had been busted open. She hoped Iroh had managed to escape, and that he was safe somewhere drinking tea. She blinked as she felt a hand resting on her shoulder.

Aang smiled down at her. "Want to do the Dragon's Dance with me?"

Lan smiled back and jumped off of her rock. "Sure."

Katara watched the two from a short distance away, and sighed. Things had been tense between her and Lan ever since Zuko had joined them. She knew she should've handled the issue of Zuko better in front of the little girl, but surely Lan could understand her anger and trepidation at Zuko's joining their group. It wasn't just the fact that he had caused Aang's near death, though that was the main reason. Katara couldn't erase the image of Lan's tear streaked and devastated face at Zuko's betrayal. She couldn't forget how Lan had refused to eat, and had been in an almost comatose like state for weeks.

"Would you just talk to her already?" Toph grouched out from beside Katara. "Honestly, your acting like you're her mother or something."

"I don't think she really wants anything to do with me right now." Katara sighed out. She watched the way Aang and Lan began a mock fight. She had to restrain herself from jumping up on instinct to try and protect Lan as the little girl was thrown back by Aang's earthbending.

"Katara, she loves you." Toph said quietly. "She loves all of us. She's said so herself I don't know how many times. Friends fight. Family fights. Just talk to her."

Lan grinned as Aang helped her up from the ground. "Good job, Aang." She briefly glanced up when she heard footsteps approaching. She scowled and looked away when she saw Katara hesitantly walking towards them.

Katara hesitated for a moment, pausing a few feet away from Aang and Lan. She plastered on a smile even though Lan wasn't looking. "Lan, could I talk to you for a minute?"

"No." Lan answered with finality. She still refused to look at Katara. "I'm busy right now. I have to train Aang."

Aang looked between Katara's crestfallen face, and Lan's angry one. He could see the underlying hurt beneath Lan's anger. He put a hand on Lan's head, waiting patiently for her to finally look up at him. When she did, he gave her his biggest smile possible. "I'll be fine for a few minutes on my own. You go talk to Katara." He held up a hand when Lan opened her mouth to protest. "Please, Lan."

Lan sighed and finally turned to face Katara. She glared at the older girl, her hands on her hips. "Fine."

Katara shot Aang a grateful look before quickly following after the little girl. Once they were a bit away from the others, Katara sat down on the ground. She motioned for Lan to join her. She sighed when Lan sat a few feet away from her. "Lan…I know things have been…tense between the two of us…"

"Leave Zuko alone." Lan cut Katara off. She glared over at the teenage girl. "Aang has forgiven Zuko. That's all that should matter to you. He's trying really hard to do the right thing, and be a good person. You keep making fun of him and being mean to him all the time though! You're not helping him!"

"How can you defend him after what he did to you?" Katara had to shout to be heard of Lan. "He betrayed you! You wouldn't eat, you couldn't sleep! How can you forgive him so easily?"

"Because he's my family!" Lan had stood up at this point. Tears of frustration and anger pricked at the corners of her eyes. She wiped angrily at them, backing away when Katara reached out to her. "He's my family…he's always been there for me. Zuko's had a rough past, but he always protected me. There's always been good in him, he's only just now starting to find it. You have to give him a chance, Katara."

"Lan…"

Lan stubbornly shook her head, and once again moved away when Katara reached out to her. "If you can't give Zuko a chance, then I won't speak to you again. I love all of you, Katara. I really do. You guys took me in and gave me a chance, even though I was your enemy. Why can't you do the same for Zuko?"

Katara opened and closed her mouth a few times. She could see hope and anger in Lan's eyes. Finally, Katara nodded her head. "I'll try, Lan. For you." Katara couldn't help the wide smile on her face as Lan rushed forward and hugged her tightly. She'd missed the closeness she'd always had with the little girl.

"Thank you, Katara." She leaned up and kissed the older girl on the cheek. "You'll see! You'll see what a good person Zuko really is."

"I hope you're right…" Katara said quietly.

The rest of the day and the next passed uneventfully. Toph and Lan continued training Aang, both girls taking a bit of joy from knocking the Avatar on his butt. The whole time, Lan worried about Zuko and Sokka. What if they had been captured? She was getting ready to go to bed when she heard the sound of an approaching balloon. She quickly rushed out into the main area where Aang and the others already were.

The group was ready to fight whoever came out of the balloon. Lan immediately lowered her guard when she saw Sokka and Zuko disembark. She rushed over to the two, and grabbed Zuko into a tight hug first. "You're both okay!" She briefly let go of Zuko in order to hug Sokka.

Sokka hugged the little girl back. "Sorry. Our war balloon got destroyed, so we had to borrow another one."

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a rather interesting fishing trip."

Zuko smiled as Lan latched back onto him. "It was."

Toph sighed irritably. "Did you at least manage to bring back some meat?"

Sokka nodded his head. "I sure did. The best kind of meat. The meat of friendship and fatherhood."

Lan peered around Zuko. She saw a girl she'd never met before, Hakoda, and a very large man all step off the balloon. "Who're they?"

Sokka quickly pulled the girl to his side. "This is Suki! She's a Kiyoshi Warrior. This is Chit Sang. He helped us escape so we brought him along."

While Sokka and Katara happily embraced their father, Lan turned her full attention to Zuko. She could see that despite his smile, there was an underlying pain there. "What's wrong, Zuko? Did something happen? Are you hurt?"

Zuko turned his full attention to Lan, tearing his eyes away from the happy family reunion. He hugged her to him and smiled. "I'm okay, Lan. Mai was at the prison. Her uncle was the warden. She helped us get away from Azula."

"Why would she do something like that?" Lan asked curiously. When Zuko didn't give her an immediate response, her eyes widened. "Does she like you?"

"We were…kind of…dating when I was in the Fire Nation." Zuko mumbled.

Lan tried to picture the two together. She'd known Mai when she was very young. She didn't remember much about her, except that she'd always been a gloomy girl. Lan crinkled her nose. "You two make a weird couple…"

"Thanks, Lan. You really know how to boost a guy's confidence." Zuko muttered.

"You're not going to leave me like that again, are you?" Lan asked worriedly.

Zuko looked into his cousin's wide eyes. He smiled and shook his head. "I won't. I promise."


End file.
